Cherokee Wolf

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."

 

He continued,

 

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

 

'The 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."

 

 

And this above is one of my many tattoos (right after it's application a long time ago).  F*ck off IPhone users, I like my keyboard.  That just also happens to mean I get shitty Blackberry pictures.  The above blurry picture, not blurry tattoo, reminds me always to choose the right wolf to feed. 

And even while this tattoo has resided there for years, in plain sight, I disregarded the message behind it.  Much like a scar or a birthmark, eventually it's just part of you.  I was reminded this past week why the hell I put it there in the first place. 

 

IN THE END, NO MATTER YOUR STORY, YOU HAVE THE POWER AND THAT POWER IS THE CHOICE.  (In this instance which wolf to feed).

If everything else in life around you is failing, you are never without a choice, ever. 

Think about it.  It is the one thing in life you will always have. 

There are many people out there who don't always have a choice.  So you had better cherish it.  Cherish your right to chose kiss your wife or husband in front of the world to see.  But only here, not in Russia.  Fucking ruskie rednecks.  Ooops, damn tourettes.  Yes, MY tourettes is in the fingers when I type.  I cannot help it, it's my curse to bear.  I can only choose to accept it.  See what I did there.  Tied it all up in a funny bone bow. 

Or go simple, and cherish your right to chose to go to a social event or be kind to yourself and decide your body or mind, needs rest. 

You may not be able to chose your family, but you can chose how you interact with them.  How much, how little, how to feel about it, how not to feel about it.  What you will pile onto every interaction with them?  Are you carrying a backpack full of history with you?  Could you choose to put that down for a bit and see if life seems a little better?

You may not be able to chose who your ex wife or husband is, but you have the right to chose how you interact with them.  Are you carrying a backpack full of resentment with them preventing you from moving on in life happily because every interaction is full of anger?  And self loathing for having married in the first place?  You made a choice, then you made another, perhaps now it's time to choose to let go?

Etcetera, etcetera.  (I am going long form today, old skool...this spelling is for an editor friend, let's see if he reads this.  *insert test here*).

The world may be overwhelming and out of control, as it often can be.  Hello panic attacks!  Try to remember you have choices in that moment.  The most important of which is to remain in the NOW.  Handle that second of panic, focus, breathe, get through that first, handle that NOW.  Another NOW follows and you will handle what's in that NOW when it comes, it won't be the same unless you don't move on.

Yeah, yeah I am da' bomb.  I get it now.  Girls got the goods.

I am not yet offering lessons.  That would require a love of humans.  Not so much.  Only a little then some f*cktard comes along and ruins everything.