He said, a fight is going on inside me. A fight between two wolves.
The Dark one is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The Light Wolf 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 grandson…and inside of every other person on the face of this earth.
The grandson ponders this for a moment and then asked, "Grandfather, which wolf will win?"
The grandfather smiled and simply said, "The one you feed".
Every day we make choices, important choices that could be overlooked as being trivial - but these choices define us. They are a statement of whom we choose to be in this life, and what impact we will have on the world around us.
It's obviously so much easier to feed the Dark wolf. The Dark wolf is there to encourage the easier options in life. It’s easier to procrastinate, complain, dismiss, ignore, and give up. There is almost no effort required to do those things, and you’re getting the reward with the sensation of relieving and instant gratification without much action.
The Light wolf is very different; it’s harder to feed. It’s challenging, tiring and time-consuming to do things like learning, teaching, inspiring, sharing or simply sticking to new behaviours. These things take energy, effort, vulnerability, momentum, and bravery. They take more time and you don’t usually see immediate results.
Which wolf you choose to feed will define who you are, and we all know we should feed the Light wolf - even when it’s harder. Feeding the Light wolf is how we end up feeling a sense of accomplishment and success at the end of the day.
However, if you feed them right, they both win.
If I choose to feed the Light wolf, the Dark wolf will be hiding around every corner waiting for me to become distracted or weak and jump to get the attention he craves. He will always be angry and will always fight the Light wolf.
When you acknowledge the dark wolf, he is happy and the light wolf is happy and we all win. For the dark wolf has many qualities - tenacity, courage, fearlessness, strong-willed and great strategic thinking - that I have need of at times. These are the very things the light wolf lacks. But the light wolf has compassion, caring, strength and the ability to recognize what is in the best interest of all.
The light wolf needs the dark wolf at his side. To feed only one would starve the other and they will become uncontrollable. To feed and care for both means they will serve you well and do nothing that is not a part of something greater, something good, something of life.
Feed them both and there will be no more internal struggle for your attention. And when there is no battle inside, one can listen to the voices of deeper knowing that will guide one in choosing what is right in every circumstance.
Peace. A man or a woman who has peace inside has everything. A man or a woman who is pulled apart by the war inside him or her has nothing.
How you choose to interact with the opposing forces within you will determine your life. Do you starve one or the other, or guide them both?
Feelings are fleeting. Be better, not bitter. Love the person, forgive the sin.
How are you doing? What’s new with you? Signs of a spring thaw on any horizons?
Kinda feels like everybody skipped town and didn’t say where they were going.
Keep on rockin
Hello Rock
Spring is slowly creeping up. The temperature today was a wonderful -5C. I sat on the deck with the dogs, played fetch and repaired the dog lead. I’ve got my daughter’s puppy for a few weeks while she finds a new place and gets moved in. The puppy is full of energy and gets herself tangled around everything. Lol. She ended up wearing/breaking the cable on a sharp corner of the dog’s play structure.
She is visiting her “cousins” who live in the 120x40 4 foot height enclosure. I can trust my dogs to know their yard and place of living, my daughter’s hound could easily jump out and get herself lost. So she is on a 30 foot lead inside the pen.
Last weekend we had a birthday celebration for my Dad, eldest son, and DIL. What a fun couple of days. The whole family was over, nine of us all together.
Had another snow storm and then two days of wind which filled in some big drifts. Had the tractor out in the milder weather and after blowing away the bulk of the snow, I scraped the road down a bit where the snow has thickened over the winter. Hopeful it will melt and drain nicer now when spring does actually get here. Just preparing. Still two months away I’m guessing.
With the kids all here, they went and saw Mom for a birthday visit (son’s and DIL’s). They told me some details of the visit. XW is still lost. She told the kids - her own kids - about the troubles she was having with her son. “Her son” being OM’s lad.
OM’s son doesn’t like her, nor listens to her or his Dad. He is in trouble with the law. He moved out and living in a different province, like 800 miles away. He wrecked four cars. Is in legal trouble with the government for Covid fraud, both receiving supplement income payments when he didn’t even qualify and lying about his vaccination status to his then employer. He owes all kinds of money and fines and legal expenses. He is working in this other province and drinking/partying away his entire checks. His driver’s license was suspended, but he still drives. Just another of the legal entanglements he has got himself into. That lad is a train wreck at the moment.
And all this bemoaning of “her son” was said to her four children and their spouses/GFs. The kids told me “she’s not Mom”. Of course, this is all old hat for us at this point.
It six and half years since BD. Six and a half years. So much has happened since then. So much XW has not been part of, and is not a part of. She’s such a lost soul.
Anyhow, life is going great! And the kids are doing awesome! My daughter just bought a house (it’s why I have her dog for a few weeks, while she is living with her brother). My son and DIL are doing excellent in their careers, and looking at building a house. My other son is doing really well in his Architect studies. And my other son has been accepted by a professor for his upcoming master studies.
For those reading along, who feel lost and unsure, and are worried about your kids - it only takes one strong and stable parent. Sure it’d be nice to have two parents. However, one can do just fine.
D
Feelings are fleeting. Be better, not bitter. Love the person, forgive the sin.
Yesterday my pre-tank for the hot water heater sprung a leak. This is just a hot water tank with no elements that circulates into the geothermal unit which will heat the water when it’s running. This pre-heated water then enters into the actual hot water tank which only has to raise it a bit to operating temperature instead of heating it all the way from ground water temperature. Thus saving money.
I was pulling some wiring through the wall and floor from the living room into the basement for the new lighting sconces. This required several trips back and forth from living room to basement; one guy with no helper it’s tougher to work both ends of the cable run.
On one of the trips downstairs I saw a water puddle on the floor. The water system - softeners, heating, and valves - is beside the stairs. The puddle wasn’t there one the last trip. So, a leak that is rather speedy. Attending to this took priority over my living room with the furniture move, holes cuts into walls, and such.
This tank was install by the contractor when the geothermal unit was installed back in 2003. Twenty years and no problems is pretty good. However, upon investigation into how to mitigate and repair this - there is no shut off valves, no bypass valves, nothing. Sigh.
Oh well, shut off the house water. Depressurized the system. Cut the lines to the leaking tank. Installed bypass valve so as to get the hot water tank up and running. Installed shut off valves on the two lines that feed the pre-tank. Turn the water back on for the house.
Living in the country and a minimum couple hours from supplies, I got a pretty good selection of tools and supplies for just about any household repairs or projects.
Drained the tank and hauled it up the stairs and outside; then took it to the dump. Went and purchased a new tank. Hauled it down stairs.
Today, cleaned up the mess and remaining water. Unpackaged the new tank. Made a base for the new tank using four 12” treated 2x6’s. Set the tank in place and levelled it. Connected the tank to the newly installed shut off valves. Attached the circulation lines from the geothermal unit.
Filled the new tank. Pressure tested. Checked for leaks. All looks good.
It’s 7:00 pm. Took a nice shower. Arms sore. Legs sore. Back sore. I think I’ll go and rustle up some supper.
Back to the living room project tomorrow. Maybe.
D
Feelings are fleeting. Be better, not bitter. Love the person, forgive the sin.
It is a good thing that you were home and discovered the leak when you did.
Sit quietly, the answers will reveal themselves when you least expect them to. The past is gone, the present is a gift and you need to focus on today, allow the future to reveal itself when it is ready.
Had all the family over this night and enjoyed food, games, and songs. Lots going on with all the kids - university thesis and exams, and work, and so on. Nice to have a get together in everyone’s busy lives.
D
Feelings are fleeting. Be better, not bitter. Love the person, forgive the sin.
It’s my parent’s anniversary today. 56 years. I’m having them over for BBQed T-bones, baked potatoes, and mushrooms. The weather is awesome, so we’ll enjoy eating and visiting outside.
Mom’s birthday is coming up later in May, and D20’s a couple weeks after that. Working on finding a date where everyone is free.
Have a great weekend all.
D
Feelings are fleeting. Be better, not bitter. Love the person, forgive the sin.
