The other day I wrote about how I felt conflicted about writing in my blog because I have days when I am not feeling so nice. Wow…. leave it to the universe to bring an answer when you need it.
An old Cherokee was teaching his grandchildren about life.
He said to them, “A battle is raging inside me … it is a terrible fight between two wolves.
One wolf represents fear, anger, 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, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”
The old man fixed the children with a firm stare. “This 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?”
Author Kelly Corrigan wrote this moving essay about women’s remarkable capacity to support each other, to laugh together, and to endure. The full text is available in the paperback edition of her memoir,The Middle Place, on sale December 23, 2008.
This essay reminds me of the friendships that I have developed over the years. Growing up as a military brat, we moved about every 2 years so I was unable to develop longstanding relationships. Though I do have to point out that the bonds of the military families that I grew up with were strong. It was that we had to leave them that was painful and many lost touch with us. I do have a couple of friends from my childhood but not many. It wasn’t until I lived here in the same town for the last 20 years that I have friendships that have lasted as long.
Some people have come and gone in my life. I”ve missed them but for whatever reason our paths took a different direction. Others have stayed as we traveled on our journey. New friends have also emerged and brought with them a refreshing twist as I learned new things and adapted them to my lifestyle. We have raised out kids together and we have gone through empty nest together. Illnesses, births, deaths and so on.
I belong to a group of women friends who get together once a month just to hang out, drink wine, eat fine dishes brought by everyone. We sometimes have a theme, sometimes we just talk but it is always a delight and I leave feeling great and the feeling lingers for a long time. I am so grateful to be included in such fine company.
I was truly touched by the essay because it expresses my feelings in a way I could never have put into words, but it is the way my heart sings when I think of the people in my life who mean so much.
"I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes. I am out of control at times and hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best." -- Marilyn Monroe
If by a "Liberal" they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people — their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties — someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a "Liberal," then I'm proud to say I'm a "Liberal." -- John F. Kennedy
