Food for thought.

A big game hunter travelled to Africa in the hope of bagging a lion. After many days in the jungle he came across a large, magnificent male lying under a tree. Instantly the hunter readied his rifle to fire, when suddenly he changed his mind. Instead of shooting the lion with a deadly round, he shot the lion with a tranquilizer and decided to take the lion home with him to train.

Upon returning home he caged the ferocious beast. Every time the hunter came to feed the lion, it snarled, growled and leaped against the bars in an attempt to attack. After some time had passed and the lion began to recognize the hunter, the lion would come up to the front of the cage and purr almost like a house cat. He even allowed the hunter to pet him.

One day the hunter decided to enter the cage. Immediately upon doing so the lion attacked and killed the hunter. The lesson to the story: The hunter went against his instinct and the lion did not.

Instinct is defined as an inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli. To break it down even further, allow me to simplify our instincts as that something inside of us that allows us to know better. Generally things learned over time of course. For example, a child burns his hand by placing it on a hot oven, instinctively that child knows (after the fact) that touching a hot oven can lead to pain. Now if that same child continues to touch a hot oven and gets burnt then we're talking about another set of issues where you may need to get that child some help.

Oftentimes it may seem like we as adults need some help when we repeatedly do things that goes against our instinct. How often do you go against your instinct? How many times have you been in a situation where in hindsight you look back and say, "I should have gone with my first mind. I know better than that." I know I have. Can I get a witness?! It happens to all of us at some point in time. Maybe or should I should hopefully, it wasn't in a life and death situation like the hunter. But, we have been in situations that have greatly and even adversely affected our lives, marriages, relationships, finances, and the list goes on and on. Situations where we go against our instinct.

As adults we should know better and use our instincts better. Better in regards to? That's for you to decide. I simply wanted to give you...cliche forthcoming...food for thought.