Sheep Follow the Leader

Five topiary sheep cavort on the lawn of the Natural History Museum in Dublin. Indoors, you can see native birds and animals in glass cases just as they were displayed when the museum opened in 1857. Outdoors, the bucolic boxwood sheep nearly baa.

Sheep are notorious for following the leader, even if the leader is a fool, even when their leader jumps off a cliff.

The Buddha encourages us to take a solitary course rather than to keep company with a fool. It can be difficult to admit that some of our friends are fool-ish in one way or another. We love them, and yet it's really better for us not to spend too much time in their company. You may feel uncomfortable with a judgment like this, but i call it discernment. I'm not judging my foolish friend; that's just the way they are.

If a fool or a sheep is heading toward a cliff, the wise one doesn't follow the flock but follows her own heart instead.