Who is responsible for most of the pain we feel in life?
“Sylvanus” purred the amused Jaguar as he lazily gazed down at the massive boa constrictor on the forest floor. “You seemed to be struggling?” the Jaguar asked in a cool and mocking tone.
“Silence, Talid….. you overgrown cat!” hissed the agitated snake as he continued to coil his massive body around its long and slender prey. “Can’t you sssseee I am busy here!”
“Aahhh yes…. What strange prey do you have in your grasp this time?” cooed Talid as he licked his lips and leaned over the nearest branch he was perched on.
“I don’t know… but it has been hours and this dreaded creature hasn’t even made a single peep” hissed the snake exasperatedly. “They are usually dead by now… and yet, this strange creature still has its razor sharp teeth digging into my flesh.”
As the mighty boa constrictor continued to squeeze its prey even tighter, more streams of blood ran down its sides and pooled on the forest floor.
“Loosen up, my friend. You can always slither away…” taunted the Jaguar as he gracefully slunk down the tree and edged closer to sniff the pools of blood on the floor.
“S-s-stay away…. Talid! You know I never back down from a fight. Who was the one who has wrestled and swallowed a 400-pound gorilla not too long ago? Or how about the massive spiny crocodile that guards the mouth of the Amazon river? Was it not I who has made that massive beast disappear? Even your cousin was no match against me, Talid…” mocked the snake as he flicked his forked black tongue at him.
As Talid roared in annoyance and slinked away into the underbrush, the mighty boa constrictor felt the searing pain reach unbearable heights. So this proud beast decided to constrict, with all of its strength, this one and final decisive time. When he did, he was suddenly sliced into two pieces. For he was constricting a tree saw.
Many of us are a lot like this boa constrictor, while life is represented by the tree saw. The more we try to constrict and control life, the more pain we unknowingly end up inflicting upon ourselves. The only way to minimize the pain of reality is to willingly loosen our grip and accept whatever may come our way.
