Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”  John 8:12

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Jocelyn has a tendency to focus on the bad. She’s more susceptible when she’s tired or hungry, but even on her good days, it sometimes happens. I’ve spent a lot of time explaining that it’s not enough to try and take your mind off of a bad thought: You need to replace it with a happy one. We practice and practice, but it doesn’t always work.

The cool thing is, we just watched a family movie that has equipped her with a whole new perspective.

The movie was Disney’s Tomorrowland with George Clooney. In it, Britt Robertson plays Casey Newton. When her dad is doubting himself, she reminds him of a story he’s told her countless times before: “A wolf of darkness is fighting a wolf of light.” Then she pauses and asks him, “Which one wins?” He answers, “Whichever one you feed.”

I turned to Jocelyn in the moment and explained what the story meant. It’s as if a light bulb light clicked on in her head, and understanding wash over her. She smiled and said, “I get it now.” And she has ever since.

Now, when she feels a bad moment coming on, we talk about the wolves. I ask her which one she wants to feed, and the answer is always, “The wolf of light.” Then she recites whatever life-giving things she can think of, or adds something she’s thankful for in her Gratitude Journal. Just like the visual of the wolf of light getting stronger, and the wolf of darkness dying off, I watch the light inside her grow brighter and brighter.

We all have wolves inside of us, and the battle between them is almost constant. If we’re not mindful of where we place our thoughts, we may be feeding and strengthening the wrong one to victory.

In a world full of so much we can’t control, it’s incredibly empowering to realize we can be in charge of the battle that rages within our heads. So the next time the wolves inside of you fight, which one will you feed?

Questions for Reflection:

     * Am I prone to focusing on the bad instead of the good?

     * If so, would listing my blessings in a Gratitude Journal, or simply listing them in my head help feed the wolf of light?

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