Your PAL for eating up frustration and returning to joy

CROCODILE

While an apple a day, keeps your own dream in play, there are
times where all you want to do is strike back, even take revenge. The CROCODILE pal
can save you from unnecessary grief, and bring you relief. CROCODILE

								
C alm and quiet,
R eady to satisfy its diet,
O n an afternoon patrol,
C onfidently taking an underwater stroll,
O nly eyeballs and nostrils breach the river's surface,
D anger lies ahead; an opponent wants crocodile slivers,
I n a boat there stands a hunter wanting him dead,
L aughter will soon prevail, though, and not crocodile red,
E mploying a careful response will stop the hunter's ego from being fed.

The hunter stands with a rifle nestled on his shoulder,
His eye waits and targets every movement,
The hunter feels bolder and bolder,
But, only what's in front is in sight,
From behind, the crocodile glides with quiet might,
He's not looking for a fight,

Scanning the foreground -- the hunter keeps his rifle cocked,
Suddenly
The boat is rocked,
The hunter is shocked
Losing his rifle and balance in utter surprise,
The crocodile's smile rises to its eyes,

The hunter of demise wriggles back into the boat,
Leaving the scene without a sliver or even a gloat.

    C
  A        E S P O N S E  O C C U P I E     AU
L        R                              S  L   G H I N G
 CULATED                                    E      E R S 
         C O N N I V I N G  OPPOSITION         MPOW
            d                    n 
            e                    t
             nying                rusion

Now of course -- you know, that opponents will try and rile,
They'll defile and they'll create a pile,
All of it being nothing but a crock of vile,
They want you to lower yourself and strike back,
And they're spending energy waiting for your counter-attack;

Leisurely consider these beraters,
The wait will frustrate these time invaders,
Respond to these agitators, 
Occupy these alligators,
Let them know, they'll see you later,

Laugh at their failed trial,
Crack a smile,
You're a clever crocodile,
Not about to fall into their crack of vile.

Calm               Calculated
Response	         Response	
Occupies          Over	
Conniving          Contrived	
Opposition,         Opposer,	
Denying	         Diminishes	
Intrusion;          Influence, &	
Laughter 	         Limits	
Empowers!          Exhaustion

We all face people with power trips and political games from people at work in our communities, and even in our family. A legislator and chair of a committee that oversaw a $50 billion budget was particularly frustrated. It had been two years of explaining and educating others about the importance of a proposal that had deep personal meaning and wide implications for the way priorities were determined in the budget. This year he had successfully received the needed votes in both chambers of the legislature, all it needed was the governors signature. With nothing less than anguish, he received a letter from the Governor that denied the legislation from going into law. It was at this point that he brought his crocodile smile to bear. Rather than burn his bridge and berate this Governor, he calmly responded. The following year it passed and to everyone's surprise the law was signed into law by the same Governor. It ignited a national effort to get to the root cause of various social problems and re- prioritize how we make priorities on social policy.

Return to SOUL PALs Homepage