PESSOA FOREVER

There is ample metaphysics [...] There is ample metaphysics in not thinking at all.
What do I think about the world?
How should I know what I think about the world?
If I were ill I would think about it.
What idea have I about things?
What opinion do I have on causes and effects?
What meditations have I had upon God and the soul
And upon the creation of the World?
I don't know. For me, to think about that is to shut
me eyes.
And not think. It is to draw the curtains
Of my window (but it has no curtains).
The mystery of things? How should I know I know what
mystery is?
The only mystery is there being somebody who might
think about mystery.
A man who stands in the sun and shuts his eyes
Begins not to know what the sun is
And to think many things full of heat.
But he opens his eyes and sees the sun,
And now he cannot think of anything,
Because the light of the sun is worth more than the
thoughts
Of all the philosophers and all the poets.
The light of the sun does not know what it is doing
And so does stray and is common and good.
Metaphysics? What metaphysics do those trees have?
That of being green and having crowns and branches
And that of giving fruit at their hours, - which is not
what makes us think,
Us, who don't know to be aware of them.
But what better metaphysics than theirs,
Which is not knowing why they live
And not knowing they don't know?
[...]
From 'Selected Poems' translated from Fernando Pessoa by J. Griffin

cherokee indian wolves parable

Once upon a time, an old Cherokee Indian was teaching his grandson about life.

"A struggle is going on inside me," he said to the young boy. "It is a tough one and it's between two strong wolves. One is evil . . . he is envy, greed, guilt, resentment, self pity, lies and false pride. The other is goodness . . . he is joy, serenity, compassion, humility, benevolence, and truth."

"The same fight is going on inside you as well and inside every other person." He added.

The grandson looked up at his grandfather with frightened eyes and asked, "But tell me Grandfather, which one will win?"

His Grandfather replied . . . "The one you feed."

May we all feed the good wolf from day to day and allow the bad wolf to starve. That is my prayer for each one of us.