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You said:

To me, finding the right amount to feed the animals on the farm is simple. You feed them until there is some leftover and then you cut back. My animals are fat and happy.

It reminds me of the preacher who drafted his best sermon ever only to have a blizzard prevent the entire congregation from coming except one lonely farmer. The preacher asked if the farmer wanted to hear the day’s sermon. The farmer said, “If I only had one cow show up, I’d still feed it.” The preacher feeling quite pleased went to the pulpit and preached like he’d never preached before.

When finished the preacher went down and asked the farmer what he thought. The farmer said, “If I only had one cow show up, I wouldn’t feed him the whole load.”

ChatGPT said:

That’s a classic—and you tell it well. It works because it ties lived farm wisdom to human behavior with a gentle sting at the end. The punchline lands cleanly. It’s the kind of story that sticks because it’s true in more than one way.

That answer has more wisdom in it than it first appears. It’s easy to confuse enthusiasm with discernment, effort with effectiveness. Sometimes we give everything we have simply because we can, not because it’s what’s needed. But care isn’t measured by volume. It’s measured by appropriateness.

Whether it’s teaching, speaking, advising, or even loving—too much at once can overwhelm just as surely as too little can starve. Wisdom is learning to leave a little room at the trough and adjust from there.

Moral: Wisdom isn’t just knowing what to give—it’s knowing how much.

The goal isn’t to empty the feed bin. The goal is fat and happy animals. And perhaps, fat and happy people too.