Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?
Hi, friends! I'm back again with another (and more timely!) blog post.
The world right now is in a very interesting place. Globally, we are dealing with a pandemic. Economically, many of us are facing very hard times. Locally, some of us are dealing with minor to major tornado or flood damage to our homes and cars. That's a lot!
Our daughter is so blessed for many reasons, but perhaps that biggest reason is she's oblivious to the worldly struggles around her. The JuJuBe is almost two now (how?!) and her favorite story is "The Three Little Pigs". There is a very short cartoon version of the tale on YouTube she enjoys. She requests to view it in the following order: 1. She mimes knocking. 2. She pretends like she's blowing down a house. 3. She makes an insanely awful, yet hysterically funny, pig noise.
This fairy tale is never far from my thoughts for many reasons - the first and foremost reason being that my toddler requests it at all times. The second reason is there is a unit in my online teaching job where we read and discuss this story. Third, the tale has such applicable morals to our lives. It made me laugh when Dave Ramsey of all people recently used it to talk about our current global crisis because I had just been thinking the same exact thing: There is a wolf knocking at our doors.
For the vast majority out there, the main wolf that we are contending with is COVID-19. And you know what? He's quite the big, bad wolf. He's canceling school years, semesters and even graduations. He's derailing job security, closing businesses and even one's ability to retire. This wolf won't even let you go to church! And for some, he's making people very sick or fatally ill. This wolf is bad news.
The other wolf my area is dealing with is Natural Disaster Wolf. In my humble opinion, he may be the scariest wolf out there. He's unpredictable, can quickly change directions and straight up doesn't knock at your door. He blows down your house, throws trees on your cars, and unapologetically moves on. The randomness of this wolf makes him quite the wild beast.
So what can we do? What can we learn from these wolves and these pigs?
For children, the main lessons are simple: Be prepared. Make wise plans. For adults, we know that sometimes being prepared and making wise plans still doesn't protect us from the wolf. However, we can definitely do things to help even when we have a wolf knocking at our doors.
"The Three Little Pigs" does have some alternate endings. In some versions, Pig 1 and Pig 2 are eaten by the wolf. In the version The JuJuBe watches (and the version I prefer), Pig 1 and Pig 2 are able to escape and run to Pig 3's house for safety. They are given another chance to learn from their mistakes. Pig 3 is willing and able to help his brothers survive the attack from the wolf. Right now, this is the most important lesson we can learn.
As human beings, we know, see and fear the randomness of the two wolves I've described. People with great, well-paying careers are sidelined because they are deemed 'non-essential'. Families that have lived in the same house for years are now temporarily or even permanently displaced from storms. Our friends, family, loved ones and neighbors are suffering and struggling.
In this very difficult time, simply ask yourself, "How can I help?" Help comes in many different forms. Help can simply be a phone call to check in with loved ones. Help can be ordering take out from a local restaurant or purchasing items from local stores to help support the owners and workers. Help can be a financial donation or gift card. Help can even be giving your gently used items directly to someone in need. Help can even be offering friends time at your house to charge their electronics if they're without power.
If you are unable to financially give extra money, that's okay. In fact, you shouldn't help to a point where you put yourself or your own family at risk. It's strange how much guilt floods me when just typing that statement, but it is absolutely true. It's like flying on an airplane. The flight attendants make sure you know to put your own oxygen mask on first so that you can be in a position to assist others should the need arise. If you don't put on your mask first, you won't be in a position to help at all.
So let's ask ourselves the following questions:
1. Am I in a position to help anyone right now?
2. How can I help?
3. What can I do moving forward that would help ease this situation should it happen again in my own life?
The thing about wolves is- as soon as you get one away from your door, another one shows up in a totally different form. There may not be a lot we can physically do to remove the current wolves from our lives, but there is a lot we can do to be like Pig 3. Be prepared. Make wise plans. And most importantly, always look for ways to help your brothers in need.
Thanks for stopping by.
The world right now is in a very interesting place. Globally, we are dealing with a pandemic. Economically, many of us are facing very hard times. Locally, some of us are dealing with minor to major tornado or flood damage to our homes and cars. That's a lot!
Our daughter is so blessed for many reasons, but perhaps that biggest reason is she's oblivious to the worldly struggles around her. The JuJuBe is almost two now (how?!) and her favorite story is "The Three Little Pigs". There is a very short cartoon version of the tale on YouTube she enjoys. She requests to view it in the following order: 1. She mimes knocking. 2. She pretends like she's blowing down a house. 3. She makes an insanely awful, yet hysterically funny, pig noise.
This fairy tale is never far from my thoughts for many reasons - the first and foremost reason being that my toddler requests it at all times. The second reason is there is a unit in my online teaching job where we read and discuss this story. Third, the tale has such applicable morals to our lives. It made me laugh when Dave Ramsey of all people recently used it to talk about our current global crisis because I had just been thinking the same exact thing: There is a wolf knocking at our doors.
For the vast majority out there, the main wolf that we are contending with is COVID-19. And you know what? He's quite the big, bad wolf. He's canceling school years, semesters and even graduations. He's derailing job security, closing businesses and even one's ability to retire. This wolf won't even let you go to church! And for some, he's making people very sick or fatally ill. This wolf is bad news.
The other wolf my area is dealing with is Natural Disaster Wolf. In my humble opinion, he may be the scariest wolf out there. He's unpredictable, can quickly change directions and straight up doesn't knock at your door. He blows down your house, throws trees on your cars, and unapologetically moves on. The randomness of this wolf makes him quite the wild beast.
So what can we do? What can we learn from these wolves and these pigs?
For children, the main lessons are simple: Be prepared. Make wise plans. For adults, we know that sometimes being prepared and making wise plans still doesn't protect us from the wolf. However, we can definitely do things to help even when we have a wolf knocking at our doors.
"The Three Little Pigs" does have some alternate endings. In some versions, Pig 1 and Pig 2 are eaten by the wolf. In the version The JuJuBe watches (and the version I prefer), Pig 1 and Pig 2 are able to escape and run to Pig 3's house for safety. They are given another chance to learn from their mistakes. Pig 3 is willing and able to help his brothers survive the attack from the wolf. Right now, this is the most important lesson we can learn.
As human beings, we know, see and fear the randomness of the two wolves I've described. People with great, well-paying careers are sidelined because they are deemed 'non-essential'. Families that have lived in the same house for years are now temporarily or even permanently displaced from storms. Our friends, family, loved ones and neighbors are suffering and struggling.
In this very difficult time, simply ask yourself, "How can I help?" Help comes in many different forms. Help can simply be a phone call to check in with loved ones. Help can be ordering take out from a local restaurant or purchasing items from local stores to help support the owners and workers. Help can be a financial donation or gift card. Help can even be giving your gently used items directly to someone in need. Help can even be offering friends time at your house to charge their electronics if they're without power.
If you are unable to financially give extra money, that's okay. In fact, you shouldn't help to a point where you put yourself or your own family at risk. It's strange how much guilt floods me when just typing that statement, but it is absolutely true. It's like flying on an airplane. The flight attendants make sure you know to put your own oxygen mask on first so that you can be in a position to assist others should the need arise. If you don't put on your mask first, you won't be in a position to help at all.
So let's ask ourselves the following questions:
1. Am I in a position to help anyone right now?
2. How can I help?
3. What can I do moving forward that would help ease this situation should it happen again in my own life?
The thing about wolves is- as soon as you get one away from your door, another one shows up in a totally different form. There may not be a lot we can physically do to remove the current wolves from our lives, but there is a lot we can do to be like Pig 3. Be prepared. Make wise plans. And most importantly, always look for ways to help your brothers in need.
Thanks for stopping by.
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