The Duck With A Human Mind

One time I saw two ducks get into a fight, didn't last long at all, they seperated and floated off in opposite directions. Then each duck flapped it's wings vigorously a few times, releasing the surplus energy that built up during a fight. After they flapped their wings they floated on peacfully as if nothing ever happend.
If the duck had a human mind, it would keep the fight alive by thinking, by story-making. This would probably be the duck's story: "I don't belive what he just did. He came to within five inches of me. He thinks he owns this pond. He has no consideration for my private space. I'll never trust him again. Next time he'll try something else just to annoy me. I'm sure he's plotting something already. But I'm not going to stand for this. I'll teach him. A lesson he won't forget."
And on and on the mind spins its tales, still thinking about it days, months or years later. As far as the body is concerned, the fight is still continuing, and the energy it generates in response to all those thoughts is emotion, wich in turn generates more thinking. This becomes the emotional thinking of the ego. You can see how problematic the duck's life would become if it had a human mind. But this is how most humans live all the time. No situation or event is ever really finished. The mind and the mind-made "me and my story" keep it going.
Moral of the story is to forgive and forget. Be aware of your thoughts as your mind makes them up. Stick to the facts, try not to concern yourself with simple emotions. The situation your in is the one you make.

Story told by author Eckhart Tolle