A Cherokee Legend

An old Grandfather said to his grandson, who came to him angry at a friend who he felt had done him an injustice, “Let me tell you a story…

I too, at times, have felt a great resentment for those who have taken so much,with no seeming sorrow or remorse for what they do. I have struggled with these feelings many times.” The grandfather continued, “It is as if there are two wolves inside me engaged in a challenging conflict.”

“One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The littlest thing will set him into a fit of temper. He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is helpless anger, for his anger will change nothing.”

He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. He does 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 in the right way.

Sometimes, it is a challenge to live with these two wolves inside me, for both of them try to dominate my spirit. The same challenge 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.”

Do you ever stop to ponder….which wolf inside of you do you feed more?

Hopefully I’m nourishing the “good” wolf while being compassionate and accepting of the “bad” wolf because they both exist within me…and denying either one of them only makes it more passionate to make its existence known. Everything that happens in life provides me with an opportunity for growth. I think the challenge at times is whether or not I am willing to listen to both wolves and see what lessons they are teaching me together.