Life is not entirely esoteric and in need of reminders of things to make us think deep and heavy thoughts. Or rather, there are normal things to keep an eye out for as well. Life is a journey, and along the way there are both mountains and molehills to get over. Amazingly enough, we are often tripped up more by molehills than mountains. We can see and prepare for a mountain, but molehills often sneak up on us and before we know it, BAM!, we're lying flat on our face in the dust wondering what happened.

One of those molehills is being wary of folks that blow hot and cold. That is, people who are all gung-ho over something one minute and then poo-pooing it the next. These sort of people are treacherous to us if for no other reason than that they make us doubt ourselves. You know the type. One day they think your idea is the next big thing, and the next day they have a thousand reasons why your idea is destined to fail. Or something along those lines. Yes, folktales have been written to address this little issue as well, along with providing guidance on how to handle these kinds of individuals. The best, and shortest, one comes from our beloved Greek fabler, Aesop, with his tale of "The Man and the Satyr."

A man and a satyr once poured out libations together in token of a bond of alliance being formed between them. One very cold wintry day, as they talked together, the man put his fingers to his mouth and blew on them. On the satyr inquiring the reason of this, he told him that he did it to warm his hands, they were so cold. Later on in the day they sat down to eat, the food prepared being quite scalding. The man raised one of the dishes a little towards his mouth and blew in it. On the satyr again inquiring the reason of this, he said that he did it to cool the meat, it was so hot. "I can no longer consider you as a friend," said the Satyr, "a fellow who with the same breath blows hot and cold."

Now, as obvious as it is to us that Aesop is speaking metaphorically, it needs to be as plainly obvious to us that people who blow hot and cold from minute to minute are best avoided. Not because they can keep their hands warm and their food cool, but because they are not working for the best interests of those with whom they are involved. They see the world strictly based on their immediate needs and act accordingly. The most glaring example of this type of person is the career politician (pick any office from city council to president), but these people also exist in your family, in your neighborhood, and in your workplace. And you, like the satyr, are best in not keeping these folks as your friends.

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