The Lion and the Bear: A Parable


Once upon a time there lived a lion and a bear.  The lion and the bear did not know eachother, well, they didn’t at first.  The lion and the bear happened upon eachother for the first time at a little pond in the middle of a new forest.  The lion and the bear instantly became friends as they would happen upon eachother each week at the same pond when they became thirsty.  After their weekly run-in’s the lion would go back to his home and the bear to his home.
The lion was a having a hard time at his home.  The other lions were giving him fits.  They were arguing with eachother and even plotting against the lion.  The lion sensed this was going on but decided there wasn’t much he could do about it.  Every week he would get away to the little pond to drink and be refreshed.  Then he would head back home with his head held high.  The lion never fought against the other lions.  No, he decided that it would best just to continue doing the lion things that he was doing.  The lion didn’t know it at the time, but his friend the bear was having a hard time at home too.
The bear was having a hard time at his home.  The other bears were giving him fits.  They other bears were arguing all the time and plotting against the bear.  The bear sensed this was going on and decided to go to a new home.  He looked around and found a better home.  You know, one where the other bears weren’t plotting against him.  The bear was very happy in his new home.  He was too far away to go to the little pond anymore.
The lion continued to live in his little home.  Soon the other lions started to accept him.  Some of the lions went to other homes, but most of the lions decided to accept the lion because they realized he wasn’t going to leave.  This made life a little easier for the lion.  In fact, the other lions started to work together instead of against eachother.  The lion’s home was getting much happier.  Week after week he went back to the pond and he began to wonder about the bear.
The bear’s new home quickly became as bad as his last home.  It seems that the new bears were all talking about him and plotting against him.  The bear got angry and decided it was time to find a new home.  You know, a home where all the other bears weren’t so short-sighted.  So he looked for a while and found the perfect place to settle down.  This was a really nice spot with great weather.  It was a larger group of bears.  The bear had pretty much forgotten about the pond.  But occasionally he would wonder how the lion was doing.
The lion was doing very well.  He was increasingly happy in his home.  With every week that passed it seemed like the lion’s home was getting better.  The grass was starting to sprout and the lion’s den was growing.  The lions celebrated together and invited the other lion to join them.  They were happy together.  The lion still went to the pond to refresh and get a drink every week.
Meanwhile the bear was moving to a new home again.  Guess why?  That’s right, these new bears were just as bad as the last bears.  They were all talking about the bear and they were all plotting against him.  He got very, very angry and decided it was time to start his own bearcave.  He wanted to be in charge because all the other bears were just too dumb to know how to run a proper bearcave.  His cave would be the best.
The lion’s den is growing each and every year.  The lions are able to work together because they trust the other lions in their den.  They work together to feed and care for all the lions in their den as a team.  Because of this the lions are full of pride and happy to be lions.
The bear is finally alone in his cave.  He doesn’t like it, but at least it’s a cave without all the other jerk bears.
The lion loves his weekly refreshers at the pond.  The bear thinks the pond is a big waste of time and he has better things to do with his time.
In the first two years of anything that we undertake it is far harder to be a lion than a bear, but a lion will always end up with a pride and a bear will always end up alone in a cave.

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