Once upon a time, there was a king named Me. King Me came to power when he was a very small boy, barely out of royal diapers. As such, he was assigned a highly trusted, well-meaning, but incredibly protective advisor, Ego, to support him. Ego was exceedingly clever, tirelessly seeking ways to aid his king. For the king’s own safety, Ego ordered that the king was never to step foot outside of the castle. Ego spent myriad hours absorbed in the study of old, dusty tomes in order to regale the king about the past and its meaning. The young king listened and believed. Ego spent immeasurable time gazing into a crystal ball in order to warn the king about the potential perils of the future.The young king listened and believed. Day and night, Ego was at the side of the king, whispering ceaselessly into his ear. Ego was such a constant, devoted companion that the king never considered it a possibility to question his counsel. Every word Ego uttered was Truth.
As King Me grew into a man, cloistered within his stronghold, he began to feel ill at ease. Ego’s narratives of the past and future weighed heavily upon him. The king often felt cloudy, anxious, and fearful. Despite his vast riches and his enormous castle, he rarely experienced the feeling that he was “home.” One day, however, Ego was briefly called away on urgent business. All was quiet, and the king felt an extraordinary feeling of peace and calm wash over him unlike any he had ever known. Without Ego’s constant storytelling, the king discovered his own divine wisdom rush to the surface. For the first time, it occurred to him to begin to question Ego’s tales and be more curious about Life as it is, not as he believed it to be. With a sense of knowing, King Me ordered the drawbridge lowered and stepped outside, quite alone, to see the world through his own eyes. To his astonishment, he found that it was not possible to be alone; he was One with all of creation, including his most loyal advisor.
And it was good.