I think Treadwell's story has some relevance to exers, inasmuch as many of us "got a bee in our bonnet" and wouldn't heed the warnings of wiser, more experienced family & friends. Many of us behaved in a wreckless way, and it's fortunate for those of us still around to talk about it that worse things didn't happen.

I can remember litnessing trips "by faith" where two of us hitched rides and got into the cars of some very scarey people. It's amazing we didn't end up dead and forgotten in a ditch somewhere. At the time, we were so certain the Lord was guiding and protecting us, but looking back on it, we were obviously tempting God. We weren't a lot different than Treadwell hanging out with wild bears.

Grizzly bears are mostly gentle, but they're unpredictable & ferocious. People are like that, too. Mostly good, but there are some really sick creeps out there who do horrible, unpredictable things.

Part of what struck me about the live footage of Treadwell was watching him tell the bears, "I love you, I really love you," in this sickly sweet voice that seemed eerily familiar.

This film has been broadcast recently on Animal Planet, which is available through most cable TV companies. Animal Planet is my favorite TV channel, along with Discovery and National Geographic. My taste in television entertainment is pretty nerdy.