Personal Development: The Two Wolves Within Us...A Moment With Bill Article

“Lions, wolves, and vultures don't live together in herds, droves or flocks. Of all animals of prey, man is the only sociable one. Every one of us preys upon his neighbor, and yet we herd together.”
John Gay

They are always within us, the two wolves of our nature. Like any other living being, they depend on nourishment to survive. They both gather at the same feeding trough, but there is only so much food to go around and inevitably one receives more than the other, and it is that one that grows strong.

Which do you feed on a regular basis?

One can be seen as ravenous for the blood and entrails of its neighbor. The blood of a fresh kill drips from its fangs as it goes in search of its next victim. This is not a pack animal by any means. It hunts in solitude. It may or may not gain satisfaction in the wounding of others, but satisfaction is not necessary when following the inner voices.

Those inner voices speak of ego, self-gain and dominance. The savage beast feels no compassion, and it certainly does not feel empathy for its victims. This is Darwinian survival at its most basic level, and it is frightening to witness but, in a very primal way, easy to understand.

It is a tough world out there and only the strong will survive, right? There are losses in any community so stiff upper lip old chum, and every man for himself. Strike first and strike hard, and he who is left standing will return for another day at the table of life.

Worry not for your fellow man. Shed no tears for those who cannot support themselves. Lose no sleep worrying about the hungry and abused, lost and forsaken. If someone hurts you then hurt them more. The law of the jungle has served you well in the past, so keep following that law until you, too, eventually become one of the fallen.

Howl at that moon in a cry of defiance and dominance, for you are king of these woods and you need no one else…..but still…..several notes in that howl sound very much like loneliness and despair, for where is the joy in such action? Where is the joy in selfishness and excessive self-gratification?

Then there is the other within you. Wolves can often be found in packs, working within a community to provide and nurture, and so it is with this wolf. It cares about the members of its community. When one is weak then food is provided. When one is wounded then care is offered.

Protection and compassion are given to others because this wolf understands that the pack is only as strong as the weakest member. This wolf has learned that humility is much-preferable to ego, and giving much more rewarding than taking. When food is found it is shared with the entire pack, and safety is found in the community working together to protect all flanks.

When this wolf howls at the moon, it is declaring that it is alive and a vibrant and integral member of nature, not something to be feared but rather to be admired.

They both require food to survive, and there is a limited amount of food, so which one will you feed?

Will you feed the savage beast within you? Will you live a life of isolation and self-satisfaction? Will you forever be the taker and leave the giving to someone else?

Will you be the one that preys on the misery of others?

Will you be the one that tramples over the carcasses in your path, always looking for an advantage, always looking for the upper-hand in this game called life?

Will you be the one that ignores the cries of misery you hear at night and declares, by your inaction, that the problems of others are not your problems?

Or…….

Will you feed the pack animal within you? Will you be the one who reaches out a hand of help to those who so desperately need it? Will you be the one who stands up for injustice and refuses to ignore the whispers of helplessness?

Will you be the one who is a contributing member of society? Will you be the one who seeks to strengthen the pack rather than weaken it? Will you provide comfort and care for others? Will you be a living example of community, an integral piece in this puzzle of life?

Each day of our lives we choose which wolf to feed. Through our actions, thoughts and words we can either be a positive influence or a destructive force. The choice is ours.

Consider, also, that we can change at any time. We do not have to continue feeding the black, snarling beast. We can make up our minds this very moment to funnel all of our efforts into strengthening the positive, affirming wolf and allow the other to starve and disappear forever.

Which will it be? Which of the two wolves will you allow to run free in your future? Remember that we are talking about your legacy. How will you be remembered? Which wolf will be remembered long after you are gone?

2013 William D. Holland (aka billybuc)