Getting Back to Good

~ A Tale of Two Wolves ~

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, “My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all. The first wolf is evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

 The second wolf is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.” The grandson thought about it for a moment and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf wins?” The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

—Author Unknown

I would venture to say that many, if not most people believe our world is not as good as it could be. If this is how you feel, as I do, it's important to recognize that you and I have the power to change that fact. Start by taking a step back from all aspects of your daily routine to see what and where you can improve, and start thinking about how you can make your difference — in your life and just as importantly, in the lives of others.
    We all have our good moments, and dare I say, less than stellar times, but I think it’s safe to say most of us could find ways to live a better life. Do I have things I need to work on? Sure! (Ask my wife or kids, and I’m sure they could draw up a nice long list.) However, when I observe myself, I wear the proverbial ‘rose-colored glasses’ and think I’m a little better than I actually am. I don’t necessarily see areas where I can improve or how I am selfish, unhealthy, indifferent, or even hurtful to others. That's why it's important to delve deep into daily habits, routines, and thoughts to see what needs work. Also, asking others who know you well can really open your eyes to what needs changing, but we'll get to that later.
    Plenty of opportunities to think and act with more goodness in every aspect of life present themselves everyday. From talking to a family member or friend you have not spoken with for years to simply letting that car pull out in front of you; from living a healthy lifestyle to maintaining a positive perspective, you can make good choices that will bring immense benefits to you and yours.
    Speaking of being positive, imagine for a moment that a kitchen table is in front of you, and on that table is a glass filled exactly halfway to the top with water. If you ask different people to describe what they see, you will get three profoundly different answers. The first description, which is optimistic, positive, and cheerful, is that the glass is half-full (maybe even overflowing!). With this perspective, the glass has plenty of water; you can enjoy it, share it with others, and feel good about it. The second description is a little on the pessimistic side — stating that the glass is half-empty. This makes you worry if there will be enough water, so you don't share as much as you should and constantly think about having enough. The third description, the most negative of the bunch is, "What glass are you talking about? I don't see a glass."
    What does that glass of water look like to you? On the full side? On the empty side? Or, "What glass?" As life brings blessings and trials, I'm sure each of us describes our own "glass of water" in each of those ways, I know I certainly have.
    Questioning if you can become a better person in today’s hectic, sometimes-unforgiving world is natural. Have you ever thought, “I am so busy caring for my responsibilities that I just don’t have time right now, I will get to it when I am better off.” Or what about, “Things are so messed up, busy, and difficult nowadays, can I really bring about change and make a difference?” Absolutely! And there are powerful reasons to do just that.
Are you ready to...