feeding wolves

The recent death of a friend and difficult times for some of my family has me thinking a lot about the fragility of life and the importance of living with a plan/with intention/by design. I can't recall where I first encountered this Cherokee parable. I expect many of us have come across is over the years. Turns out it's been sitting on my desktop for perhaps a year or more. I had had no idea it was there, but tonight it caught my eye. It's a good reminder any day.

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life.

"A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy. It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego.

The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

"This same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person too."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee simply replied,

"The one you feed."

art by India Richer via jacksonswift's