Tale of Two Wolves
ONE EVENING, AN ELDERLY
CHEROKEE BRAVE TOLD HIS
GRANDSON ABOUT A BATTLE THAT
GOES ON INSIDE PEOPLE.
HE SAID “MY SON, THE BATTLE IS
BETWEEN TWO ‘WOLVES’ INSIDE US ALL.
ONE IS EVIL. IT IS ANGER,
ENVY, JEALOUSY, SORROW,
REGRET, GREED, ARROGANCE,
SELF-PITY, GUILT, RESENTMENT,
INFERIORITY, LIES, FALSE PRIDE,
SUPERIORITY, AND EGO.
THE OTHER IS GOOD.
IT IS JOY, PEACE LOVE, HOPE SERENITY,
HUMILITY, KINDNESS, BENEVOLENCE,
EMPATHY, GENEROSITY,
TRUTH, COMPASSION AND FAITH.”
THE GRANDSON THOUGH ABOUT
IT FOR A MINUTE AND THEN ASKED
HIS GRANDFATHER:
“WHICH WOLF WINS?…”
THE OLD CHEROKEE SIMPLY REPLIED,
“THE ONE THAT YOU FEED”
We All Have Two Wolves
In recovery we get to look inward and pick out the flaws in our make-up. We are filled with character defects. After working steps 4-5 I was pretty disgusted with myself. I had spent years rationalizing my behavior and finally the blinders were off and I didn’t like what I saw. I thought that I was doomed because how could I possibly change everything that was wrong with me?!?
Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread
Luckily I didn’t have to. My Higher Power removed the character defects that were standing in the way of my usefulness to Him (steps 6-7). The selfish part of me wishes He had removed a little more, but the realistic part of me is grateful not to be the person I was.
In this tale I want to stress that the “food” we give the evil wolf (our character defects) are ego gratifying actions and the “food” we feed our good wolf are spiritual actions that keep us humble. The ego is a four letter word when it comes to our spirit.
We all have two wolves inside of us. Which one do you feed?
Peace, Love & Sobriety,
-L
L. chooses to remain anonymous, not because she’s ashamed of being in recovery, but because her ego loves recognition and she doesn’t want to feed her ego.
