Cordelia Anderson M.A.

 

Readings

Wolves Within

An old Grandfather whose grandson came to him full of anger at a schoolmate who’d done him an injustice said, “Let me tell you a story.

I too, at times, have felts 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. It is as if there are two wolves inside me; one is good and does no harm.  He lives in harmony with all around him and does not take offense when no offense is intended.  He will fight only when it is right to do so and then only 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 with everyone, all the time, for no reason.  He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great.  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 wolf wins, Grandfather?”

The Grandfather solemnly said, “The one I feed.”

 Closing  I wish you enough

At the airport a father is overheard saying to his daughter in their last moments together as they hugged, “I love you. I wish you enough.”

She said, “Daddy our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough too, Daddy.” They kissed, she left.

He walked over to the window where I was seated.

I could see he needed and wanted to cry. I didn’t want to intrude but he said, “Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?”  “Yes, I have,” I replied. Saying that I remembered telling dad how much I appreciated right before he died.

“Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?”  I asked. “I am old and she lives much too far away, I have challenges ahead and the reality is her next trip home will be for my funeral.”

”When you were saying good-bye I heard you say, ‘I wish you enough’  May I ask what that means?”  He smiled, “That’s a wish handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone. It means we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them”  He turned and from memory said,

“I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright. I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more. I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive. I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger. I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting. I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess. I wish you enough ‘hello’s’ to get you through to the final ‘good-by.”  He then began to sob and walked away.

I wish you enough.

Digging a Hole

Two brothers once decided to dig a deep hole behind their house.  As they were working, a couple of other boys stopped by to watch.

“What are you doing?” asked one of the visitors.  “We’re going to dig a hole all the way through the earth!” one of the brothers volunteered excitedly.

The other boys began to laugh, telling the brothers that digging a hole all the way through the earth was impossible.  After a long silence, one of the diggers picked up a jar full of spiders and worms and insects and interesting stones.  He removed the lid and showed the wonderful contents to the scoffing visitors.  Then he said confidently, “Even if we don’t dig all the way through the earth, look what we found along the way!”

Their goal was far too ambitious, but it did cause them to dig.  And that is what a goal is for – to cause us to move in the direction we have chosen, in other words, to set us to digging!

Not every goal will be fully achieved. Not every job will end successfully. Not every relationship will endure. Not every hope will come to pass. Not every love will last. Not every endeavor will be completed. Not every dream will be realized. But when you fall short of your aim, perhaps you can say, “Yes, but look at what I found along the way!  Look at the wonderful things which have come into my life because I tried to do something!”

It is in the digging that life is lived. And it is the joy in the journey, in the end, that truly matters.

Author Unknown
 
 

Contact: Cordelia Anderson
Sensibilities Prevention Services
4405 Garfield Avenue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55419
612-824-6217
 Cordelia@visi.com