Feeding the Good Wolf

It’s January… a time for new adventures, challenges and experiences. Even though the New Year can be exciting and new, after the Christmas season I always find myself at a loss. Sure there are resolutions to break, weight to lose, and a house to let my husband clean – but the excitement and wonder of the season seems to disappear. I miss my Christmas tree and the singing  and lights and parties and hubbub. And so January looms before me. This year I want to see January differently.

I’ve been an avid blog reader for a few years now, and have been truly inspired by the women behind the text. I’m inspired by their ability to see the good in their lives, to notice the small, everyday beauty in life and to appreciate those they love in a powerful and passionate way. What is up with that? Why don’t I notice the blossoming flowers and unicorns and rainbows? What do they do that I don’t?

Answer: They feed the good wolf.

There is an old Native American story about a grandfather talking with his grandson about the battle that goes on within us. The grandfather  said, “I feel as if I have two wolves fighting in my heart. One wolf is the vengeful, angry, selfish one. The other wolf is the loving, compassionate one, full of peace and joy.” The grandson thought about the battle and asked him, “Which wolf will win the fight in your heart?”

The grandfather answered simply “The one I feed.”

I’ve been really inspired lately by Kelle Hampton, blogger extraordinaire at Enjoying the Small Things. Over the last year she has shared her incredible journey as a mother of a child with special needs. Every-so-often she does a post called (of all things) “Enjoying the Small Things” in which she outlines the small things in her life that she is enjoying and appreciating.

As I find myself at the beginning of a new year, I want to take time to reflect and to “feed the good wolf” and focus on the good, not the bad, ugly or indifferent. In my attempt to do this, I have dedicated January to finding the small things that I am enjoying each day/week, which I will share here. Of course, I’m also taking time to reflect on this here blog and use it as a way to do the same throughout the rest of the year. I’m excited to look back at the beginning of 2012 and see how rad my life really is… and hopefully I’ll get really famous and be on Oprah have some fun along the way!