Imagine a young prince who has been entrusted to the care of peasants since infancy, in order for him to experience life's hardships. He doesn't know he is heir to the throne, and he goes to work every day in shabby clothes and with hardly any food inside him. Years later, the king, his father, decides his education is complete and sends a whole delegation of representatives to find him and bring him back to the palace. The young prince hasn't a clue what's going on and thinks a mistake has been made. But there's no mistake, and they explain to him he was sent to live with peasants simply in order to learn what hard work, sobriety and modesty are. Now he's arrived at the palace: they ask him what he would like for his meal, and all he wants is a little bread, an onion and some water. He doesn't know the royal chef has prepared a whole feast... And you can imagine the rest of the story.

And if I tell you that, inside, you are all princes and princesses... Yes, because you are all sons and daughters of God, and one day your heavenly Father, who has entrusted you to peasants for the sake of your education – yes, symbolically that's what life on earth is – will solemnly send for you. But only on condition that you have worked properly, of course; otherwise, this apprenticeship with peasants could last for many incarnations.

OMRAAM MIKHAEL AIVANHOV