I was once walking with my loyal dog, Marcus. The moment Marcus spotted another dog barking, he puffed up his chest and leapt into action.
“Quiet, Marcus!” I ordered.
But Marcus ignored me and kept shouting his challenge to every dog in the street.
After a while, we reached the marketplace where an elephant, painted and decorated, stood calmly as its mahout collected coins. Instantly, all the street dogs rushed forward, barking madly, circling the elephant like soldiers around a fortress. Marcus joined them, his voice loudest of all.
But the elephant didn’t even twitch an ear. It simply moved on with dignity, its massive legs steady, its purpose clear.
I chuckled at my dog: “Marcus, you’ve wasted your lungs! Great souls don’t stop to bark back at dogs.”
This incident involving Marcus illustrates a truth: we walk through a world full of barking voices, criticism, gossip, jealousy, misunderstanding, and negativity. Like Marcus, we often want to bark back, replay insults, retaliate, or win arguments.
True greatness comes from maintaining dignity and focus, and by not reacting to every distraction or provocation. As the elephant demonstrated, we should proceed with calm and purpose, saving our energy for what truly matters.
Epictetus once said, “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” Eleanor Roosevelt echoed the same spirit: “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” We may not control others’ words or actions, but we can choose how we respond.
Jesus embodied the composure of the elephant. Surrounded by Pharisees who questioned Him, disciples who misunderstood Him, and soldiers who mocked Him, He often chose silence or calm words over retaliation and continued His mission. St. Paul faced constant barking, imprisonment, slander, betrayal, persecution, yet he said, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). He refused to waste energy on noise but continued to walk with dignity toward the goal.
Modern psychology affirms what the saints knew intuitively. Viktor Frankl wrote, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response.” The barking is the stimulus. Our urge may be to respond with louder barking, but the elephant models the wisdom of using that space, the calm refusal to let noise dictate our actions.
The desire to bark, whether in words, gestures, or silent resentment, often does not come from the other person’s noise but from within us. It may spring from insecurity, wounded pride, or threatened ego. Carl Jung offers insight: “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.” He invites us to look inward. Often, the irritation reveals something unresolved in our own hearts. For example, if gossip unsettles us, perhaps we secretly crave approval. If criticism infuriates us, perhaps it touches on a weakness we have not yet accepted.
Proverbs 26:4 teaches: “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him.” Nietzsche remarked in a similar vein: “Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster.” This wisdom shows that silence and steadfastness can speak louder than argument. Awareness of inward and outward noise helps us avoid becoming as noisy as those we resist.
To walk with the calm strength of the elephant requires discipline. One should practice:
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Humility: not every bark deserves an answer. Silence is not a sign of weakness; it is strength under control.
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Patience: waiting instead of reacting.
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Purpose: keeping eyes on the road ahead.
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Faith: trusting God to defend the truth.
Let us strive to walk like the elephant, showing calm strength and clear purpose amid noise. The elephant teaches us: keep your mind and spirit steady, and do not waste energy reacting to every shout around you. This wisdom, choosing dignity over reaction, is at the heart of the saying: “The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on.”
If you want to know whether you are an elephant or a dog, ask yourself: Do I walk my own way, or do I stop to answer every bark?
