Which Wolf are you Feeding?

I have a new favorite parable that I got from Bonnie St. John's book- Live Your Joy. It's a story about an Cherokee Grandfather (and forgive me if I get the details wrong, it's the lesson that counts!) Anyway, a grandfather is teaching his grandson that there are two wolves that are at battle within each of us. The Evil wolf is anger, hatred, intolerance, evil, judgement (a.k.a. - yucky stuff) The Good wolf is love, kindness, compassion, humility, joy... After a moment the grandson asks"which wolf wins." Which ever one you feed, replies the grandfather. SO that is the question I ask myself on a daily basis- Which Wolf are You Feeding- whether it is about someone else (don't say it if it is not kind, true or helpful) or myself- and that is MY challenge. Especially in my studio the other day I was working on some new koi pond images and working with reflective light and getting frustrated.

The first quote from DaVinci came to mind (again a little paraphrasing) The supreme misfortune is when theory outstrips performance...or when the idea is better that than ability to convey it.
ug. sigh. bad wolf...

But then Van Gogh's quote came to me (yes, good wolf) When that voice inside me says- you are no artist, I quiet the voice by painting. So work, and that will feed the good wolf and put the evil wolf in its place. where ever that is. NOT IN MY HOUSE!

Last night participated in a art exhibition/ book signing at Kimmel Cancer Center in Philly-
as always met warm, wonderful, courageous people. It is heart warming to share our book
Butterfly Kisses and Wishes and Wings: When someone you love has cancer... a hopeful, helpful book for kids. There were two sisters- one, an oncology nurse and her sister, who told me how they wished that they had had our book when they lost their father to cancer.

That is our intention, to get the book to those who need it. Our Gift- it- Forward program encourages people to buy our book and donate it to a local library, hospital, place of worship or school- Wherever there may be a child or family who would benefit from the message of our book.

NOW tonight is 9th Annual Riddle Memorial Hospital Cancer Survivors Day. www.riddlehospital.org I am presenting at the ever. doing my speach/art talk/ slide presentation. I will try and post that once I put it in a format that I can use here. They are all on my website- www.nancihersh.com