A parable developed with a therapy client….

“Chased,” he said, “I’m being chased, haunted by my past, my past of multiple addictions, — they follow me.” 

“Like dogs?” I asked, “I have wild dogs too.”

“No,” he said, “large lions, and a tiger, coming from behind, waiting to pounce, attack. To scorn, belittle me.”

“How do you protect yourself?” I asked.

“I outrun them; get ahead. Do heroic things to prove them wrong. But, they follow,  catch up, then I have to do it all again. What about you and the wild dogs?” he asked.

“I tried to ignore them,” I told him, “but they don’t like that. They  squeal, bark louder. I tried to get ahead, outrun them as you do with your pursuers, but that’s temporary relief.”

“I know,” he confessed. 

“I made a decision that made a big difference,” I said, “when I was at my most desperate when they were chasing me through dark hallways of my mind, barking at my heels, I stopped, slowly turned, faced them. Told them they were right, looked them in the eyes, gave them attention — then, they withdrew, got quiet, behaved as disciplined guide dogs. Now, they do their jobs.” 

“Can I train my lion? My tiger?” he asked.

“You’ll never know,” I said, “until you look them in the eyes.”