There once was a great lion. This lion had gotten married and had a cub, but sadly the marriage ended when the cub was very young. Despite sometimes infrequent visits, the cub grew to idolize the lion, and would listen enraptured for hours as the lion and his cronies would reflect on the lions' many conquests, both afield and with other lionesses. In fact, the cub vowed to grow up to be just like the lion.
As time passed, the cub did grow up, but he found that the lion whom he had worshiped was in fact not always worthy of such idolatry. The lion himself discouraged the cub from following his path too closely, urging him to use his mind rather than his hands to make a career, and to wait for the right lioness to come along instead of settling for just any old kitty.
Still further time passed, and the lion began to grow old. Refusing to bow to the passage of time, the lion lived life on his own terms. He did nothing to moderate sometimes outrageous behaviors, even when faced with irrefutable evidence of the deleterious effects on his health that these habits inflicted.
Finally, it came to pass that the lion became so weak that he couldn't care for himself any longer. The Cub, now a lion with his own young pride to care for, would be expected to care for the old lion, though the old lion never tried to care for himself until it was too late. Faced with this responsibility, the cub began sometimes to despise the old lion's weakness, where before there had stood strength. He also despised himself for feeling this way, having known plenty of other lions who would gladly spend their time caring for parents taken away too early, regardless of their degree of curmudgeonliness.
The Old Lion had not imparted much wisdom onto his cub when he was young, preferring to be his friend when he needed a dad, and vice versa. However, in later years, he did in fact hold great influence over the cubs' decision making processes, simply because the cub was able to discern cause and effect, and make his own decisions accordingly. The cub loved the old lion dearly, but became determined not to put his own cubs into similar situations as he grew old.
The End, sort of.
As time passed, the cub did grow up, but he found that the lion whom he had worshiped was in fact not always worthy of such idolatry. The lion himself discouraged the cub from following his path too closely, urging him to use his mind rather than his hands to make a career, and to wait for the right lioness to come along instead of settling for just any old kitty.
Still further time passed, and the lion began to grow old. Refusing to bow to the passage of time, the lion lived life on his own terms. He did nothing to moderate sometimes outrageous behaviors, even when faced with irrefutable evidence of the deleterious effects on his health that these habits inflicted.
Finally, it came to pass that the lion became so weak that he couldn't care for himself any longer. The Cub, now a lion with his own young pride to care for, would be expected to care for the old lion, though the old lion never tried to care for himself until it was too late. Faced with this responsibility, the cub began sometimes to despise the old lion's weakness, where before there had stood strength. He also despised himself for feeling this way, having known plenty of other lions who would gladly spend their time caring for parents taken away too early, regardless of their degree of curmudgeonliness.
The Old Lion had not imparted much wisdom onto his cub when he was young, preferring to be his friend when he needed a dad, and vice versa. However, in later years, he did in fact hold great influence over the cubs' decision making processes, simply because the cub was able to discern cause and effect, and make his own decisions accordingly. The cub loved the old lion dearly, but became determined not to put his own cubs into similar situations as he grew old.
The End, sort of.
1 comment:
I hadn't read your blog until you came over tonite. But I did read an article in Runner's World today (around my 3pm siesta). The article moved me and made me think of you.
What you have been writing and what this said to me were the same. You have been having motivational issues, but you need to listen to "the stranger" in you. You do what you do for yourself first, family second in this instance.
And then reading your latest blog, I see that it only makes things worse. I understand, but you can be angry, unhappy and still love with all your heart. That I know you do.
Please read the Prnguin's article. I could not help but think of you as I read it.
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-243-332--12340-0,00.html
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