Cherokee Bridge

"Cherokee Bridge" by Kinga

We passed a bridge to our right and abruptly stopped the car to get out and document this rusty, tired, yet still useful gateway to Cherokee neighborhoods… I wonder what stories it has heard and what people it has seen.

This brings to mind my favorite story Indian grandfathers pass down to their youth known as "The Wolves Within”. Brilliant, really. I goes something like this:

A youth came to his Grandfather with anger about an injustice he felt he suffered and the Grandfather replied: 

There are two wolves inside me. One is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony and does not take offense when no offense was intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so, in the right way.

The other wolf is full of anger. He fights everyone, he has a very short temper, for no reason. He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is helpless anger, as it changes nothing. 

Sometimes it is hard to live with these wolves, for they both try to dominate my spirit.

The youth asks his wise Grandfather, "Which one wins, Grandfather?"

The Grandfather smiles and simply, quietly says, "The one you feed."