A wise Cherokee elder sat by a campfire, telling his grandson an old Cherokee fable that had been passed down through the generations: There are two wolves, and they’re constantly fighting with each other. One wolf is as bright and pure as the winter snow, representing love, empathy, forgiveness, hope, kindness and compassion toward others. The second is a dark wolf, representing anger, fear, resentment, darkness and despair. On and on they battle one another, waging combat day after day.
“So which wolf wins?” the grandson asks.
The elder turns to the boy and says, “Whichever one you feed.”
Each of us have a similar battle going on inside our mind; a tug of war between our better angels and the uglier tendencies we also possess. Each day brings new situations that force us to decide which wolf we’re going to feed. Do we spend our time thinking more about our own selfish interests, or the needs of others? When people do insensitive things, do we respond with hatred, or with empathy, understanding and forgiveness? Do we indulge our fear, anger and resentment, feeding these things and allowing them to grow bigger and bigger until they take over our heart? Or do we push back against these dark forces by choosing instead to dwell in love, kindness and compassion?
Whichever wolf you choose to feed is bound to grow bigger and stronger in your life. Take care to make sure you’re feeding the right wolf.