One of the life lessons that we get in the journey of life is that everyday presents life challenges to us. It is like saying that we are always in some kind of struggle or a fight to be the best that we can be. It takes courage and profound spiritual understanding to win these ongoing “battles” in life. It is my reflection that one of those life struggles is the fight to control our ego, perhaps one of the hardest battles that we have in life. Our ego (I, me, mine, myself) can grow into a huge giant that controls us in every way. Anthony de Mello tells the story of a young lady who received a doctoral degree in her favorite subject, and wanting to excel in life, she went to consult a wise older lady for advice. She said: I now have a doctoral degree. What should I do with my life? The elder said: “Give it away.” The young lady was surprised to hear this response, and asked for clarification. The elder said: “Give your life away. Give yourself away.” That is a good answer for that young lady, for you and for me as well. The greatest mission of being human is to give ourselves for the good of others, the community and the environment. This is the greatest mission that we have here on earth. It is an everlasting struggle to transcend our ego, transcend our selfishness, and come to the land of generosity, care and concern for others and the environment. The burning candle is an excellent symbol of giving our life away. As it burns and gets shorter and shorter, so does it transform itself into light for all to benefit. If it does not burn, there would be darkness. Similarly, when we humans are not there for each other, there is discordance and disharmony in our world. We are reminded here of giants like Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Martin Luther King, Junior, Nelson Mandela. Mahatma Gandhi, and others. None of us is called to be like them, but we are called to make a positive
Life long struggle with our ego: Embracing selflessness
