In carefree, laughing, joyful mood – br let’s praise the ego, to its face! br br Our most faithful mate throughout our life; br with us longer than our parents or our children are; br br at our heels at all times, proud of head and tail, br saying to the world that ‘I belong to him! ’; br br faithful as a dog; and cunning as a cat; br between them, running our un-mastered lives; br br (and like the cosy purring cat you stroke upon your lap, br ego's the secret dark night-hunter, out to kill all life..) br br ego, more awake than we ourselves, br never missing a living moment; br br every heart-beat an opportunity; br sharper entrepreneur than any city slicker: br br ‘what’s in it for me? ’; there is no trick, br no turn, no market swing, that ego can’t exploit and profit from; br br so let’s praise ego to its face; see the Creator’s own full force, br brilliant and magnificent, manifested, used, in ego’s skills… br br but know, and know we know, its lifetime’s bitter secret: br for all its skills, its energies are stolen fuel…: br br moment by moment sapping secretly, br the consciousness, the wisdom, happiness, br br that seem just out of our elusive reach..