The One You Feed: Helping Your Children Find Their Way
An old Cherokee told his grandson: “My son, there is a battle between two wolves inside us all. One is evil. It is anger, jealousy, greed, and resentment, inferiority, lies and ego. The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, humility, kindness, empathy, and truth.” The boy thought about it, and asked, “Grandfather, which wolf wins?” The old man quietly replied, “The one you feed.” Regardless of whether this is really an old Cherokee folk story (I do have my doubts that a long-ago Cherokee elder would use the word “ego”), it does not detract from the lesson. The wolf within that we feed is the one that grows. Those who manipulate others through fear and terrorize others with their anger can attain a fair amount of power and control, it’s true. Ultimately, though, it is the wolf who is really in control. Those who are most ferocious in their desire to be on top are usually plagued by feelings of inferiority and paranoia that they are going to lose stature and the fr...