There is an old Italian proverb that goes:

At the end of the game both the king and the pawn go back in the same box.

Image by PayPal.me/FelixMittermeier from Pixabay

I love that proverb. If you take it at face value, it is surely telling us that in life, it doesn’t matter who we are, we all end up leaving in a box. (Yes, I can hear you nit-pickers out there, saying not everyone goes in a box), but metaphorically, it is true. I, however, like to look at this proverb from a deeper level because this is where I think the beauty lies. For me, what this proverb is telling us is that status in life must be one of the most pointless things ever. Our true nature is that of consciousness, therefore we own nothing because we need nothing, and in ultimate reality, there is nothing to own. The same can be said of “owning” some sort of status, whether that be monarch, politician, mayor or company chairman. All such titles are superficial and any feelings of superiority are mind (ego) constructed. Life is very non-discriminative, when it comes calling it pays no mind to how much money you have in the bank or your job title.

Of course, let us also remember that as a species, we have the habit of imposing status onto others too. We describe other people in various ways, not all of them complimentary. in fact, we can be very creative and colourful in our descriptions of others. I think that this proverb is a very gentle reminder for all of us to stay grounded and to be aware that regardless of what is going on, on the surface, we are internally all one consciousness. Whether king or beggar, life can bite you on the ankles when you least expect it, so be kind, try not to judge and be grateful for everything that life offers.