Two Wolves (Story)

There is a beautiful story that possibly originated by the Cherokee People. There are two versions that I've found.
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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 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. 

"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 smiled and simply replied, "The one you feed." 

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An old Grandfather said to his grandson, who came to him with anger at a friend who had done him an injustice, "Let me tell you a story. 

"I too, at times, have felt a great hate for those that have taken so much, with no sorrow for what they do. 

"But hate wears you down, and does not hurt your enemy. It is like taking poison and wishing your enemy would die. I have struggled with these feelings many times." 

He continued, "It is as if there are two wolves inside me. One is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him, and does not take offense when no offense was intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so, and in the right way. 

"But the other wolf, ah! He is full of anger. The littlest thing will set him into a fit of temper. He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. 

"He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is helpless anger, for his anger will change nothing. 

"Sometimes, it is hard to live with these two wolves inside me, for both of them try to dominate my spirit." 

The youth looked intently into his Grandfather's eyes and asked, "Which one wins, Grandfather?" 

The Grandfather smiled and quietly said, "The one I feed."
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~ESA

Goodness & Evil (Story)

Someone shared this story with me this morning. I've heard it before, but it's moral never dims with each retelling. Below is one of the versions of the story.

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A young angel was having a conversation with God one day and asked, "Will you please show me the difference between goodness and evil?"

God led the angel over to two doors and bid the angel to look behind both.

The angel opened the first door. Inside was a small room with a large round table in the middle. Atop the table sat a steaming large pot of stew, the contents of which made the angel's mouth water in anticipation.

Cramped and crowded around the table were many thin and sickly people whose hands were fastened to the far ends of long-handled spoons. They fought each other over the contents of the pot as they struggled to scoop up the stew with those spoons and eat it. But alas, the handles were too long and they could not eat a morsel of the stew. It fell to the floor wasted and was ground underfoot as the fights continued over what was left in the pot.

The angel was greatly saddened upon seeing this and acknowledged, "This must be evil." God nodded and gestured to the other door.

Upon opening this door, the angel saw once again a small room, a large round table and a pot of mouthwatering stew. Likewise there were many people within whose hands were fastened to the far ends of long-handled spoons.

But they were plump, happy, singing songs, telling stories and sharing in the laughter. Inside this small crowded room the air was filled with joy, companionship and love.

The angel stood puzzling for a few moments trying to understand what difference lead to such a change in the people and environment. It was still a small, crowded room. They still had long-handled spoons fastened to their hands and could not feed themselves.

The angel turned to God and asked, "What is the difference?" God smiled and pointed back into the room. Then the angel saw it. A little boy scooped some stew up with his spoon and fed it to an elderly woman sitting across the way from him. These people were feeding each other!

They each had a goal: not to feed themselves, but to help the others around them. In this way, they all received more than enough. Tears streamed down the angel's cheeks as the answer to the question was whispered, "This is Goodness."

- ESA

Numb

It's been a few hours since I read this article (http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=7613395) and I'm still numb. I was angry - outraged that people can do such atrocities to children - in Christ's name! The money they take from people to "exorcise the demon" in the child only adds to the insult. While seething in anger, I was also weeping tears of sorrow for the horrors those children are put through.

Christ is about love; and He especially adores children! It's criminal what people do in His name but to do this.... ARG! I'm actually beyond words and my tears flow freely as I type this here. My heart goes out to those poor souls, children who suffer and adults who are so deluded into believing such rubbish!

Please take a moment to pray for those kids. Even if you don't follow Christ, please follow the Love present in your heart and pray for them.

Thanks. :*(

- ESA

Legend and Lessons

I have a feeling someone left me a message where I would find it. Said message read,

You can not be selfish and save all from the darkness,
As saving one from the darkness into the Light of God....
One is taken by the darkness
Because of the balance of the universe and life

There can not be love without hate
Light without darkness
Heaven without hell...
As the universe depends on the eternal balance


For those who wonder where such words can flow, they are from the movie "Legend." While they sound wise, one must also acknowledge they are being said by a devil / demon while he is in a desperate moment... His nails were dug deep - sparks eminating from the stone - as he was thrust back, back into the darkness into which he had been banashed by the Light. Evidently, this character did not want to go there and would do anything - say anything - to get another chacter --- a human character, Jack -- to help him so he would not have to return to that cold darkness away from the Light.

It saddens me that one would listen to those words spoken by that character and thow it in my face as truth. It's not truth. Not at all. All things are possible with God. If anything, we're unballanced as we are not where we are meant to be. But the more we reach that point of growing in the right direction, the darkness will redouble it's efforts and try to drag us back into the darkness.

I have to wonder when I recall the story of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. Humanity allegedly had eaten from the Tree of Knowlege; why then do we seem to be so blind to the truth? Why do we not see the lies AS lies?

In simple truth, when one moves towards God there is NO requirement for another to move toward darkness. But the darkness wants us to think there is. When more and more move toward God there is harmony and Love, not unballance. When we move toward God we move into Light and Love and our eyes are washed so we can see past these petulant little lies to the Truth.

The darkness will do its best to influence us in many different ways, but it's sphere of control is starting to shrink even as it creates the illusion that it's growing. Those the darkness attracts, seek to better themselves, in this does the darkness fall for without the unity and harmony and Love found in the Light, those in darkness will scatter and fall as chaff in the winds of change.

- ESA