There is a story that is told of an Apache grandfather who was teaching his grandchildren about life. He said to them, “A fight is going on inside me; it is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, self-pity, guilt, resentment, lies, and pride. The other stands for joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith. This same fight is going on inside you and inside every other person too.” The grandchildren thought about the story for a minute and then one child asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?” The grandfather’s simple reply was, “The one you feed.”
When I consider this perspective, I wonder if anything in my daily life could be considered mundane. It seems that everything I choose to do will feed either one wolf or the other, giving great meaning to all of my daily decisions. I will encounter situations where more exertion is needed to see past feelings that inhibit my nurturing of others or my ability to maintain hope amidst challenges. But this “parable of the wolves” is a liberating and ennobling reminder that I get to consciously fill my days with meaning, love, gentleness, forgiveness, growth, strength, compassion and anything else that is good. I get to do this, not because there are no alternatives, after all, there are two wolves, not one. I am the one who chooses which one to feed, and those around me will know by my actions, at any given moment, what my choice has been. I may get caught up in certain situations, temporarily feeding the wrong wolf, but catching and correcting myself is a powerful, daily practice that leads to a more steady perspective and the constant development of a much stronger good wolf.
Today’s post is contributed by Seeing the Everyday magazine. For more information, go to seeingtheeveryday.com.