I'm not a big fan of pop internet philosophy - the kind that makes the rounds in email boxes and becomes so ubiquitous it quickly becomes trite and tired. I try to make it a rule not to send it out myself. Somehow it seems a little condencending towards my friends to assume that they will want inspirational or motivational emails from me (not to mention hard to live up to all that 'good' advice myself let alone ask them to!!).

Recently my 8 year old daughter has had some difficulty controlling her temper. It's not surprising. One, it's in her personality. She's a fighter in the sense that she meets things head on. Being only 8 however she frequently takes on more than she can handle and her frustration can cross over to anger in a flash.

Secondly, her mom has a temper (a bad one) and unfortunately it is also a learned behaviour for my daughter.

I received the bit of wisdom below in an email quite awhile a go. I've only seen it once - perhaps others have seen it more. I thought they were words to live by and perhaps food for thought for my daughter. I also thought I would break my rule and share. Besides, this is a journal entry not an email . Ok, that's a technicality. Still, I hope that it will be enjoyed and not deemed 'condencending'!



The Wolves Within

An old Grandfather said to his grandson, who came to him with anger at a schoolmate 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 an 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 boy looked intently into his Grandfather's eyes and asked, "Which one wins, Grandfather?"

The Grandfather smiled and said, "The one I feed, son, the one I feed."

~ Author Unknown ~