Native American Parable: The Story of Two Wolves

The implications of Covid 19 for mental health are undeniable; the uncertainty of it all has negatively affected many people and created new barriers for those who were already suffering. The constant struggle, the barrage of social media, the endless losses, the fear of the unknown, the isolation, and the ever growing pessimism - it's a lot to wrap your head around.

I stumbled on this story again while archiving my old blog last week, and with today's gloomy weather it felt like a good time to share it again.

The Story of Two Wolves

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 and it is 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.”

He continued, “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 simply replied, “The one you feed.”