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,
hatred,
envy,
sorrow,
regret,
greed,
arrogance,
self-pity,
guilt,
resentment,
inferiority,
lies,
false pride,
superiority,
and ego.
The other stands for
joy,
peace,
love,
hope,
sharing,
serenity,
humility,
kindness,
benvolence,
friendship,
empathy,
generosity,
truth,
compassion,
and faith.
The same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too."
They thought about it for a minute, and then one child
asked his grandfather, "'Which wolf will win?'"
The Old Cherokee simply replied,
"The one you feed."[edit]
Related: Rumi Sacred Texts