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
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