Start with a cage containing five monkeys. Inside the cage, hang a banana on a string and place a set of stairs under it. Before long, a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the banana. As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the other monkeys with cold water. After a while, another monkey makes an attempt with the same result - all the other monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon, when another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other monkeys will try to prevent it.

Now, put away the cold water. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new monkey sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his surprise and horror, all of the other monkeys attack him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.

Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm! Likewise, replace a third original monkey with a new one, then a fourth, then the fifth.

Every time the newest monkey takes to the stairs, he is attacked. Most of the monkeys that are beating him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs or why they are participating in the beating of the newest monkey.

After replacing all the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the stairs to try for the banana.

Why not?

Because as far as they know that's the way it's always been done around here.

And that, my friends, is how so many things in life are ... no one wants to go out on a limb or take risks to better themselves or others.

I find it many times in medicine and herbs.  Being a fan and distributor for a National Herb Company on the side, I find myself talking to others about herbs and their health problems daily.  Do they want to even try to better themselves naturally?  No ... they've always been told that "man-made" medicine is better and it's what they can trust.  The won't trust in Chiropractors or Naturopaths or ones who can work with their body chemistry.  So ... just tell the doctor the symptoms, pop another pill they live with side effects and pay consequences sometimes because of a lack of willingness to try something else.  

Sometimes, I think it all goes back to "faith".  And you've either got it or you ain't!

Katrina Blankenship

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