Bad Wolf
Deirdra told me this story and I really liked it. She says she’s seen it a zillion places around, so I don’t know the appropriate credit. It ties in with some of the mindfulness stuff that I’ve learned in kung fu, and some of the agenda/rewards stuff that I’ve learned in roleplaying theory. It resonates.
An elder Cherokee Native American was teaching his grandchildren about life. He said to them, “A fight is going on inside me. It is a terrible fight, and it is between two wolves. One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, pride, and superiority. The other wolf stands for joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. This same fight is going on inside of you and every other person too.” The children thought about it for a minute and then one child asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?” The old Cherokee simply replied: “The one I feed.”