Wolf at the door
I came across this Native American parable yesterday–not once, but twice! Coincidence? Perhaps. Or maybe the universe is offering me another lesson.
An old Ojibwe* is teaching his grandson about life.
He tells the boy, "A fight is going on inside me. It is a terrible battle between two wolves. One is evil — he is anger, envy, regret, greed, false-humility, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, lies, pride, and ego. The other is good — he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. This same fight is going on inside you, my son…and inside every other person."
The boy reflects quietly for a moment. Then he asks, "Which wolf wins?"
The old Ojibwe answers, "The one you feed."
*Most online sources atrribute this story to the Ojibwe, but some cite the Cherokee or the Chippewa. I regret that I’m unable to trace it back to the original storyteller, but I honor his/her timeless wisdom.