We Are Not Our Egos

Every one of us has an ego, and I think it’s fair to say
that that’s what creates most of the mischief in this world.
What would it be like, I wonder,
if we managed to reduce the hold
they have over us?

How much energy do we squander,
stroking the egos of everyone around us,
and defending our own?

Is it kindness,
to play the fan of all the stories
we have made ourselves the stars of,
or is it mere avoidance,
the sidestepping of our fears
of being disapproved of?

How different would our world be
if we were always ready
to give the truth,
and to hear it?

If we could trust ourselves,
and each other,
that much,
it would be a different world,
indeed.