r/INFJ, "show me how big your brave is!"

A friend and I got cornered in the national park by an adolescent bear late at night. Being INFJ with strong intuition, I figured out exactly how to respond despite both of us being scared out of our minds. It was a fear ten times worse than any nightmare I've ever had. Yet the intuition still works, for which I'm eternally grateful and proud of.

We had just set up a tent and started a fire, and were going to make some hot chocolate with marshmallows because it was a cold night. The park was completely deserted, in early September (a week before 9/11 by the way), and we were driving back home after a cross Canada road trip. This was northern Ontario. Heard rustling in the woods that seemed to be circling around.

When I saw the bear were were standing by the fire on the other side of the tent we'd just set up. I had a bag of marshmallows in my hand. The hatchback of my car was open, with all the food and gear we had. The bear went looking for food, and pulled out a can of gatorade, cracked it open and started licking it up! Not sure it like that all that much, because then it went back to grab the can of hot chocolate powder. I thought "If I had hot chocolate, I'd want some marshmallows next!" so I threw the bag in the fire because I didn't want to be eaten next! I gave to my friend the rock hammer we'd use to put in the tent spikes into the ground, and I held the butane fire starter while we both stood there too scared to move, but vaguely aware we might have to mount a probably ineffectual defence.

Then my intuition kicked in and I saw the whole escape plan in my head. I explained it to my friend and she agreed. We had to run towards the bear.

The bear was on to the right of the car, the passenger side, but right next to back wheel, chowing down on hot chocolate. We ran to the driver side of the car, my friend first, and she crawled through to the passenger side and started the car while I slammed shut the hatchback, standing uncomfortably close to the bear, then followed her into the driver's seat, turned on the headlights and drove a little ways away. We watched the bear slowly walk away, but we drove around the park for a bit. Got back to our camp site and didn't see any bear, so hopped out, packed up the tent and our supplies, put out the fire and the drove 100 km away to the nearest motel.

In short, ran towards a bear. Intuition for the win.

/r/infj Thread