While I tend to gravitate toward Top Gun as a timeless story that helps me to understand and address any situation, there's another tale I find particularly useful, from a relationship perspective. I've decided to share it here.
There was once a man who discovered a tiny baby alligator in his back yard. Being an animal lover, he was afraid the poor thing would perish, being separated from its mother, so he took it in and raised it as a pet. This man loved his Ricky unconditionally and lavished it with attention. He gave Ricky massages and only fed him the best alligator chow. In order for Ricky to feel like it was in its natural habitat, he had an enclosed lagoon built in his back yard, with a hot tub for when the gator was stressed. He was positive his love and these gestures got through to the now full grown alligator, suppressing the beast's natural predatory instinct.
One day, he was teaching Ricky how to play fetch, when Ricky decided to fetch him and mauled him to death. The man awoke at the pearly gates, face to face with Saint Peter.
"I don't understand how this happened! I loved Ricky with all my heart and did everything I could to demonstrate my affection."
Saint Peter responded, "What do you expect? He was an alligator and mauling food is what alligators do, you dumb shit!"
The moral of the story is that regardless of how sincere and earnest your actions, you can't change the nature of another and can lose your head over it. Literally.
