There is a Cherokee legend that goes like this..........
"An old grandfather said to his grandson who came to him with anger at someone who had done him an injustice. Let me tell you a story.......
I too at times have felt a great hate for those that have taken so much, with no sorrow for what they do, But hate wears you down and does not hurt your enemy. It is like taking poison and wishing your enemy dead.
I have struggled with these feelings many times.
He continued -- It is as if there are two wolves inside me; one is good and does me no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him and does not take offense when no offense was intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so and will only fight in the right way.
But the other wolf - ah - he is full of anger. The littlest thing will send him into a fit of temper. He fights everyone. all the time, for no reason. He can not think because his anger and hate is so great. It is helpless anger for his anger will change nothing.
Sometimes it is hard to live with these two wolves inside of me, for both of them try to dominate my spirit.
The boy looked intently into his Grandfather's eyes and asked -- Which one wins Grandfather?
The Grandfather smiled and quietly said -- The one I feed."
Which one do you feed?
I posted this same legend on my own blog years ago, right about the time that the Magister and i were beginning our journey. There was so much chaos in each of our lives at the time and neither of us knew what was coming next, but we knew that neither of us had it in us to perpetuate the anger and drama. I posted this particular legend at the time because i needed to remind myself not to give into the urge to be hateful and mean because i only ended up more miserable in the process. I do my best to feed that good wolf, and even though that other one occasionally gets a fairly good meal, i notice more and more every year that he's slowly starving. I have never gotten the impression that you are much different. Every now and then that angry wolf gets a few scraps, which is a good thing. You can't let him die completely, but that wonderful, sweet, kind wolf is much better fed. Hugs... as long as we remember which one deserves the meal and which deserves the scraps we should be ok :)
ReplyDeletedaddysvera
thank you daddysvera :) I don't much like the phrase "hate" -- anger works better for me... but you are right -- I am feeding the good wolf more and more ... and leaving the scraps for the bad one :)
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