And be your companion for worser or worse,
It pretends it's your friend, your bestest amigo,
And it pours on the guilt, that's the mark of the ego.
It wants to protect you, to help you be strong,
So it must keep reminding you everything's wrong,
You're lazy, you're weak, and you don't have a clue,
That's your drill sergeant ego trying to motivate you!
The ego wants you to be all you can be,
So it gives you these pep talks all day and for free,
Oh, the places you'll go and the guilt trips you'll travel,
As the ego plays judge and bangs down on its gavel.
But you always can get some relief from your shame,
By projecting it on to the others you'll blame,
For that is the ego at its beastiest best,
It nurses its grievances close to its chest.
Republicans, liberals, your parents, your ex,
The world is just teeming with folks to correct,
If only these fools would conform to your ways,
You could get on with life without further delays.
The ego keeps finding new gripes to complain about,
Turns molehills to mountains of yikes! to feel pain about,
Sometimes the ego's stuff makes you so stuffy,
You come down with a cold or an ouchy more roughy.
But there's no time for rest so get up out of bed!
If you're just here and now then you won't get ahead,
Your to-do list must buzz like the bees when they're busying,
Keep filling your days till they're endlessly dizzying.
Oh, the places you'll go and the people you'll see,
All through the lens of “What's in it for me?”
For the ego believes there is something it lacks,
And until it is found it won't let you relax.
Perhaps you will find it in the next one you date,
True love at first sight with a soul kind of mate,
The romance is hot till the climate turns cold,
Cause when two halves combine they do not make a whole,
It's fine till the love gets obscured by control,
Cause when two halves collide they cannot make a whole.
So the ego moves on ever constantly striving,
Addicted to seeking and afraid of arriving,
You're traveling fast at the speed of surviving,
With fear in the drivers seat doing the driving.
No trust is a must you must always be worried,
No peace till deceased you must always be hurried,
The joys of each moment go swishing on by,
As the ego keeps reaching for pies in the sky.
Groping and grasping with arms that are flailing,
(And the ego loves giving you F for your failings!)
Or perhaps you are on the fast track of success,
You're constantly driven to be great, better, best!
You're a mover, a shaker, a big time achiever,
You're a real self-made man, a dazzling diva.
You're rich and you're famous and make quite a splash,
You're on top of the world and you're rolling in cash,
You drive the right car and you've married the right spouse,
Today lunch with Oprah, tomorrow the White House.
But at night insecurity pays you a call,
Cause you know anytime that you could lose it all,
Your shrink says to rest and your spouse sure agrees,
Your doctor says, “Ulcers, take fourteen of these.”
You know you should slow it down sooner or later,
But your foot is just glued to the accelerator.
Your ego consoles, “Well, at least we're successful,
It's a sign of success to be constantly stressful,
You've made it to prime time and everyone loves you”
But your self-esteem's based on what others think of you.
And opinions can change in the blink of an eye,
Which is why you need meds just to sleep and get by.
One day when you've failed and succeeded enough,
You witness your ego exposed in the buff,
And you realize without all its protective clothing,
That the ego is simply a state of self-loathing.
And beyond that you find out the biggest of deals,
That you've dreamt up the ego, it's not even real!
So for richer, for poorer, in all kinds of health,
You commit to the journey of loving yourself.
You release the projections you placed upon others,
And find through forgiveness that peace is discovered,
You realize the love that you searched for outside you,
Is what you are made of and can't be denied you.
So you let go your worries, your plans, and your pills,
Put some logs on the fire and learn how to chill,
Your old superstitions have gone up in smoke,
(Like you can't rest in peace until after you croak.)
You no longer fear death or for that matter life,
Cause you know that all matters are safe and all right.
While resting in peace you will soon be inspired,
To go out in the world with some newfound desires,
Desires that spring from your heart and your soul,
And wherever they take you you're going there whole.
Cause your ego is now in the passenger seat,
It rolls down the window and takes in the treats,
You're not in a hurry you're taking it slow,
Cause the journey's as rich as the places you'll go.
Where you are going you don't need to know,
For the journey's as rich as the places you'll go.
Scott Kalechstein Grace ryhmes in his sleep. Visit his website for more inspiration, music and mischief.