A young boy who was contemplating manhood wanted to know the secret to happiness. He asked many in the village where he lived, but he didn’t feel he was getting good answers. One day a stranger came to town so the boy asked him if he knew the secret to happiness. The stranger said, “If you truly want to know the secret to happiness, you must go see the Master.” The boy asked, “Where is this Master”? The stranger replied, “To see the Master, you must travel 130 kilometers to the big mountain, then you will have to climb the mountain to its top, and there you will find the Master.”

Intent on knowing the secret of happiness, the boy traveled to the mountain and climbed to the top. There he found the Master, an older gentleman with a long beard and a broad smile on his face.

The Master greeted the boy kindly and asked him why he had traveled so far to see him. The boy said, “I want to know the secret to happiness. And a stranger came to town and said that if I wanted to know this secret, I must see the Master.” The Master said, “The stranger who guided you to me is not really a stranger but one who has chosen well and wants to share his happiness. The Master went on to explain, “My boy, in life you will be confronted with two wolves; one wolf brings peace, love, and kindness, and the second brings fear, greed, and hatred. Each of these wolves will be competing for your soul and your life. One will give you happiness and the other will give you grief.”

The boy, not being able to hold back anymore asked the Master, “How will I know which one will win?” The Master replied, “That depends on which one you feed.” Being somewhat stunned with the Master’s response, the boy said, “That is so simple. Why couldn’t any of my friends give me the answer?” The Master replied, “This is because they still are feeding both of the wolves and they have not yet experienced true happiness.”

Then the boy said, “Oh Master, thank you so much for sharing your wisdom. I want to live just like the stranger who came to my village and guided me to you.”

As the boy turned to leave, the Master said, “You came to me as a boy, but you are leaving as a young man. Go share your happy life.”

Doug
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