Unpacking the Bison legend — Myth or Truth?
Can bison face storms head-on while other animals flee? Is it instinct, resilience, or something deeper we can learn from?
The Truth Behind the Lesson from the Bison
One day, while casually scrolling through LinkedIn and Facebook, I stumbled upon quite a few posts about the bison—a wild animal native to North America, and quite common in Canada. In Manitoba, the bison isn’t just a resident; it’s a symbol of the province, even featured in its official logo.
I found this photo on Pinterest and several other sites. It took me a while to track down the original photographer, but eventually I discovered it was taken by Tom Murphy. A moment like this isn’t easy to capture—it’s a work of dedication. Yet surprisingly, few sources actually credit him.
People often talk about the lesson we can learn from the bison:
“Bison are the only animal that walks straight into a snowstorm. Instead of running away or seeking shelter, it chooses to face the storm head-on. iInstinctively, it knows that confronting the storm helps it escape the wrath of the weather faster than trying to avoid it.”
I found this idea fascinating, so I dug a little deeper—and uncovered something else.
Some sources say there isn’t enough scientific data to confirm that bison truly walk through snowstorms. Even wildlife protection sites like World Wildlife Fund don’t mention this behavior in their descriptions of the animal.
What I want to share with readers near and far is this: the desire to find motivation and ways to grow is something we all carry within us.
But to protect ourselves from being misled, we need to filter information carefully—balancing concept with reality. The best way to do that is to seek out multiple sources, verify, and reassess. The more you practice, the sharper your skills become, and the more confident you’ll be in making decisions for yourself.
As for me, I’m reminded of a passage by Japanese author Haruki Murakami in Kafka on the Shore. I haven’t read the book yet, but I came across the quote while wandering online—and it resonated deeply.
“And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in.”
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