ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE (177)

In my desire to uncover truth
I must tackle ego.
Wow!
I ask a lot of myself
Why?
Each time I quest toward a truth
Too painful to consciously acknowledge
I become more accepting of myself as a whole
Divided I fall and fail—repeatedly
Whole, I stand self confident and strong


I do not want my self confidence to be a slippery thing
I want my self confidence to stick around
I need my self confidence to stick to me
From the inside out, like glue—and so I say
Thank you, Ego for protecting my vulnerability
Thank you, Neo cortex for solving mysteries
Thank you Life for offering me countless opportunities
To gain the maturity necessary to pursue the difference
Between remaining stuck in pretense
And tunneling toward truth


If pretense is made up of smoke and mirrors
And if truth blows smoke screens away
Then in place of smoke and mirrors
Truth allows us to see
The path upon which life's mysteries are solved
And once truth
In the form of clarity
Has set us free of misperception
We are no longer haunted by undeserved guilt
And thus is peace of mind our just reward


I do not quest toward happiness
I quest toward clarity, honest connection and peace
Peace for me and peace for you
If you choose to hold my hand
If you choose to witness my process toward peace
Then here is my hope for us both:
Perhaps upon moving forward, together
More of us will shine
An ever brightening light
Along this path where clarity holds hands with peace


And at the end of our desert storm
When we circle round the pot at the rainbow's end
Here is what we'll rejoice to find:
We'll look into the pot and see
A portrait of the kind of family life
Which showcases the ways in which
Boys and girls develop into tomorrow's leaders
Leaders who have worked to develop
The inner strengths necessary
To grow into a mutually supportive group


And if you ask:
What defines a mutually supportive group?
I'd suggest rereading The Four Pillars of Friendship
Because in order for people to
Problem solve respectfully and lovingly
During life's most difficult times
Each person must have worked to minimize
Subconscious rivalries all around
You see, once subconscious rivalries and fears
Are openly understood, negative judgments fall away


And in place of misperception, leading toward negative judgment
Happiness abounds—more often than not—one for all and all for one