There is an African proverb that says, “No matter the economy of the jungle, the lion will never eat grass.”
I know you’ve probably heard it all before. Things aren’t the same as they used to be in the good old days. Jobs are scarce. Men? They don’t make them like they used to! It’s so much doom and gloom and there are messages everywhere telling us that everything is falling apart and you need to do what you need to do in order to survive and get what you want. Whatever it takes!
The message behind that proverb is all about compromise. How far are you willing to go against your principles in order to get what you want?
It used to be that a stable job would pretty much have you covered, right? But not anymore. For many of us, our income never matches up to our outflow and we’re constantly battling to balance our finances, our relationships, our ambitions and goals. So we find ourselves getting deeper into debt in order to portray a certain kind of lifestyle that isn’t all the way authentic. Or we settle for an unhealthy relationship because hey, who wants to be alone? Rather a married man than no man at all. Or we start to cheat and lie and steal, because the economy of life has made it impossible to get the things we desire, honestly and ethically.
We start to eat grass.
But the fact is, although compromise is necessary in many situations, our principles should never be based on external factors. Our character should be steady in the stormiest conditions. We have to have parameters beyond which we refuse to bend, no matter the cost.
Do your shopping at a discount store. Eat out less. Lose his number and change yours.
I know in the moment, you think eating grass is better than dying of starvation. But did you know that lions that hunt prey will occasionally eat grass when they have an upset stomach, in order to purge indigestible parts like fur and feathers? The grass itself does not provide any actual satisfaction.
Compromising on your morals and belief system might temporarily get you something similar to what you’ve been craving, but it will never truly satisfy you. Anything dishonestly acquired is incredibly expensive to keep, and I am speaking in terms more valuable than hard cash.
If it’s not yours, let it go, Sis. It may take a little longer than you would like, but if you work at it and stay true to yourself, remembering that a Queen does not bow or bend the knee, you will eventually get what belongs to you.
