There have been a few things that Struck Me Hard Today.
I am going through a Certification and Book at the Moment that has a Chapter about "Confronting Massive Human Suffering".
It is exactly what it sounds like.
Wartorn Populations.
Extreme Disasters.
Generational Suffering.
Horrible things that Should Never Occur, yet Do.
Then, I read an article about the Christmas Season.
How some people Do Not see it as "Beauty" or "Joy" or "Hope".
Rather it shows them Darkness.
What they Lack.
The Cold.
Heartache.
They talked about how it is one of the Highest Seasons of Death.
Then there is of course all the other News we hear about.
War, and Potentially Impending War.
AI Slop and "The Death Of The Internet".
Hatred Abound.
The Destruction of the Planet.
All of these things come together inside of us.
It is enough to Make Us Wonder...
Is The Future Bleak?
Are We Without Hope?
Is It All Over?
These types of Questions can Weigh Heavily on the Soul.
It is Easy to Sit Down.
Lay on the Ground.
Give Up.
Submit.
Allow Hopelessness to Consume Us from the Inside Out.
A Festering Wound or Cancer.
Tearing Our Bodies Apart Slowly and Painfully.
A Maelstrom that Pulls Us to the Bottom of the Ocean.
Darkness Consumes.
I Understand...
These Emotions...
These Feelings...
These Fears...
I Have them Too.
And...
I am Reminded of a Native American Parable, that has been told by many others...
An Old Native American Man is speaking with his Grandson.
He says, "There is a fight going on inside us all..."
"A Battle Between Two Wolves...
"One Wolf is Evil, filled with Anger, Envy, Jealousy, Sorrow, Regret, Greed, Arrogance, Self-Pity, Guilt, Resentment, Inferiority, Lies, Pride, and Fear.
"The Other Wolf is Good, filled with Joy, Peace, Love, Hope, Serenity, Humility, Kindness, Benevolence, Empathy, Generosity, Truth, Compassion, and Faith."
The young Grandson thinks for a Moment.
He then asks his Grandfather, "Which Wolf Wins?"
The Old Man Replies, "Whichever Wolf You Feed..."
It is Easy to "Feed" the Wolf of a Bleak Future.
Much of the World Does.
Every Day.
Constantly.
But which Wolf Do We Want to Win?
This is what we should make our Wayset, our Way of Being.
This Battle Plays Out Inside of Us Constantly.
There "Is" a Battle that Occurs Internally.
It occurs between our Four Brain Systems.
Each System has a Goal and Purpose.
They are Designed to Benefit Us...
But Sometimes they are Swayed by Different Events to Go In Directions that Do Not Benefit Us.
Stop and Ask...
Which Wolf am I Feeding?
Now, here's another thing to Consider...
The "Evil" Wolf...
Does it "Have" to be Evil?
If, when we get Angry, we Attack Others...
Yes, that could be Evil.
But Anger is Not Inherently Evil.
It is a Signal that You have been Wronged.
To "Give Into" the Anger, and allow the Emotion to Dictate Your Response is where we find Trouble.
But if we Train the Wolf...
To Have the Wolf Tell Us What It Sees...
Then Appreciate its Message, and Choose a Different Wayset?
Instead of Two Wolves Fighting Within Us, we have Two Wolves who Aid Us.
One Reveals Paths that Exist, but That Should Not be Sought...
The Other Guides Us Toward Our Best Opportunities.
We Receive the Best of Both Wolves.
They become Guides on the Path of Life.
Does Darkness Exist in the World?
Absolutely.
Could the Future be Bleak?
Perhaps...
But the Future is Not Set Yet.
Our Actions Today Define Tomorrow.
There are Days when I Feel Hopeless.
Where I Feel Struggle.
When The Future Does Feel Bleak.
My Heart Aches for the State of the World.
But My Wayset Guides Me to Better Days.
To a Better Future.
To Hope.
Where Has Your Wayset Been Guiding You?
Is that Where You Want It To Go?
Where Will You Point Your Wayset Now?
How Do You Take A Single Step In That Direction?
A Bright Future is Made by Many Small Steps Starting Today.
Are You Ready to Go Beyond Leadership?
Tired of Broken Algorithms and AI Slop?
Want to Change The World?