Once upon a time there was a King. And his kingdom was a beautiful one! It operated completely on the law of love! Everyone in the kingdom was committed to lifting those around them! And the kingdom flourished under this law - and everyone was fed and nurtured and filled with contentment.
He was a very creative King! He loved making new and wonderful things for everyone to enjoy!! And his latest venture was a world filled with astounding creatures, awesome landscapes and incredible adventures for those who would live there!! And he loved what he had made and the enjoyment he knew it would bring!!!
But one day, for some obscure reason one cannot quite understand, one of those helpers closest to the King, began to be discontented with his lot. He began to feel that he, himself, was not receiving his due. He felt that he was worthy of much more adulation, and began to whisper in the ears of those who loved him.
Now, he was very impressive in his looks and abilities, and the murmurs amongst his admirers grew, until he had influenced a third of that kingdom, that they should be following him instead! They felt that the King was unjust in expecting love from and between all his subjects, and that they should be entitled to follow their own way if they chose! They began to feel a sense of self entitlement. That they each deserved to find self fulfilment. And so a new kingdom was born - based on the law of self. And this new leader became their Prince.
Now the King of the kingdom of Love, saw what was happening to his beautiful kingdom, and was deeply saddened. He loved all his subjects very much, and was hurt that they felt he was forcing them to love him in return. He knew in order to save his kingdom, he must act! But to finish and silence the perpetrators would only reinforce their message that being a part of the kingdom of Love was not a free choice! So instead, he banished the Prince of the kingdom of Self, and all his followers, from his land.
And the Prince of the kingdom of Self was very angry, and looked for the way he could hurt the King of the Kingdom of Love most deeply. And his eyes turned to the newest world the King had created. And he began to plot his revenge.
Deep in the heart of the untamed wildness that was the new world, the King had planted a beautiful garden to be home for the most gorgeous of the creatures he had made. They had been made most like him! And he gave them the task of caring for their new home and all the other creatures in it. They were free to indulge all their creativity and nurture the wilderness into cultivated beauty. And they ruled their world with sensitivity and grace.
The Prince decided, in his lust for revenge, that he would claim this new world as his own dominion. But he knew, that to do this, he must wrest its rule from those the King had left in that role. So he began to devise a plan.
The King, in his great wisdom, not wanting to be any more accused of not allowing choice to be under his rule, had planted two trees at the centre of the garden. Both were lush and offered delicious looking fruit. The fruit from one tree was blessed with properties which gave healing and life. The other tree, the King had warned them, as attractive as it looked, would only offer pain and death. One tree represented the Kingdom of Love. The other, the Kingdom of Self.
Until now, the land's rulers had been very careful to heed their King's warning and steer clear of the second tree. But the Prince decided to use this very tree for their downfall. Disguising himself and appearing as attractive as he could, he settled himself nonchalantly in the second tree, to wait.
As the day wore on, the female ruler wandered through the garden in search of something appetising to eat. As she passed by the forbidden tree, she was startled by a movement within it, and her attention was drawn to a fascinating creature who began to speak to her.
He encouraged her to gaze upon the loveliness and desirability of the tree's fruit, and convinced her that the King had not really been trying to protect them by warning them not to eat of that fruit. That he had merely been keeping for himself all the wonders that fruit could offer!
And she believed him and his insidious sweetness. And she took a bite of that fruit. And it was delicious beyond anything she'd known! And she hurried to share it with her partner. And the Prince smiled a deep and satisfied smile.
It wasn't too long, and the fruit that the couple had tasted, began to turn sour within them. They felt an unfamiliar sense of disquiet and foreboding. Gone was the blissful resting in innocence which had been theirs. That was now replaced with an awareness of guilt and the furtive need to hide it.
As the voice of the King called to them on the evening breeze, they fled in sudden trepidation behind covering foliage, wary of the one they had loved so much. A turmoil of emotions gripped them such as they had never known, and they were fearful now of the King and the consequences he might inflict on them.
They really hadn't learnt the art of hiding very well, and it wasn't long before the King crouched to face their cowering forms and asked what they were doing. Heads bowed in shame, they explained their wrong doing, and their fear at how the King might repay them.
The King stood quietly, sadness etched in his expression. The most beautiful creatures he had made for this world had allowed themselves to be tricked into a curse which would begin to destroy this wonderful place he had made, and everything in it. He saw before them, a life of pain and hardship. It was far from the life he had envisioned for them. And his heart sank for them.
He made a move that would limit the time that they would suffer, separating them from the garden that held the tree of life and healing. And he clothed them, to cover their feelings of shame. Together, they would now have to carve out a home from the wildness around them.
And he would no longer be able to be with them as he had enjoyed doing. He must now step back and allow the Prince of the Kingdom of self, to have his dominion. They had made their choice, and he must allow it to be. All his subjects would need to see that his ways were good. That he was no dictator demanding control.
Despite his misgivings, the King retreated. But he had not given up on these creatures he loved. A plan was brewing to rescue them.
Years drifted by on that beautiful planet. Death really did come, just as the King had said it would. And it's presence was a heavy burden. Beauty still bravely shone through but it was shadowed with decay and misery. The King tried to keep their hopes up by sending messages of assurance that they were not forgotten, but as the Prince wove his insidious degradation in and around them, it became harder to hear and believe that help was coming. Many began, instead, to be angry at the King for leaving them to their fate! Their thoughts turned darkly against him. And the Prince was happy to encourage that mindset. Together they sank into chaos and despair, and all those safe in the King's kingdom were horrified at the devastating effects of living in the Kingdom of Self.
The King decided it was time to set things right. It was obvious to all observing, that the way of the Kingdom of Self was a terrible course of living! The poor creatures living there had become virtual slaves to the Prince and their own selfish intents. But with such deep distrust and disfigured views of the King ingrained in their very souls, how was he going to be able to lead them to freedom??? Something very radical must be done to help them see who the King really was and that what he was offering was infinitely desirable! That true freedom they so deeply craved, could be found alone in the Kingdom of Love! Not in living for Self!
The King had a son - most precious and loved. He was so like his Father that one could have said he was his splitting image! And together they hatched an outrageous plan to free the inhabitants trapped in the Kingdom of Self. They would need to learn what real love was. They would need to be shown they could trust the King. That he was not a stern, disapproving, dispassionate dictator! Nor was he distant and uncaring! He had been looking for an opportunity to save them all along! And the time for that plan to enact, was now..
A gift was born into that darkened world. A gift precious and pure and tender. A gift that embodied the very heart and soul of the King of the Kingdom of Love. A gift that even those hardened, mistrusting lives would be drawn to. A child - just like one of their own! A child, needing nurture and protection - who would bond with these creatures, as he grew as one of them.
But this child was no ordinary child. The Son of the King of the Kingdom of Love, had given up the life of beauty he shared with his father, and taken on the form of these poor lost creatures. He had come, himself, to make sure the message of his father's love for them would not get lost and distorted! To convince them that the Kingdom of Love's way was the only real way to the life of peace and happiness they were all searching for. And he lived with them, and grew with them, and became a part of their world. And the child became full grown. And he was beautiful in all he did.
It became time for him to make his move. He began to put into action the plan he and his father had designed to rescue the world he now lived in. One by one he began to fix injuries and miseries of those around him, quietly at first, so as not to arouse the ire and retaliation of the Prince of this world. And one by one, a small flame of hope began to burn in them.
Slowly a little band of followers began to form, enamoured with his beautiful ways and words of hope. He became more bold in his presence, and his reputation grew, until it began to attract the attention of the most staunch supporters of the kingdom of Self. Many of these appeared to be supporters of the King of the Kingdom of Love! But they spread dark and intimidating lies about how the King ruled, convinced as they were by the stories the Prince told. And they were not impressed with this young upstart and his growing popularity! He was becoming quite a threat to their ways! They began to conspire to his downfall.
They tried, many times, to get this young creature, to betray himself by his own hand! But always, that quick mind of his could see through their manipulative ways. They were left shamed, while he was unsmeared. And it only seemed to enhance his standing! Until, with evil intent, they decided to silence him completely. Under the cover of darkness, they stole him away, charged him with treason against the very King that he loved, and led him away to pay with his life.
Now all this time, the King had been watching his son's life unfold in his created form. He had watched proudly as his son never wavered in the beautiful story of love he had shared. His heart had been lifted as each follower heard and believed his words about the King, and the ways of the Kingdom of Love!
A movement had been set in motion that would gain momentum, winning hearts and minds back to freedom and real life! Thus far, his son had carried out their plan to perfection! But right at this moment, he could not bear to watch. For though this too was part of the plan, it was too terrible to bear his son's final moments . And he sent a deep darkness to hide his last torment.
Hidden within the darkness, a small band of bewildered followers tried to make sense of the awfulness of the last few hours. The hope and light that had bloomed within them had dissipated with the loss of the one who had shared it with them. It seemed that everything his young life stood for had been torn from them. Death had claimed another. The doorway to hope had slammed shut. And the Prince was smug in his triumph.
The next few days passed quietly. A heavy despondence covered them. And it appeared there was no way to lift it. For the one who had offered a life beyond theirs was no more.
But what they did not know, was that this creature now buried, held within him a powerful spark! In his innocent purity, he retained his rightful place in the Kingdom of Love! A kingdom where life is a force without limits! And the Kingdom of Love was calling him home!!!
Deep within him, a sonorous beat began to rise. And all those holding their breath in the Kingdom of Love heard it!!! And a mighty cheer rose in the King's land!!! For death itself had been conquered!!! Love had won!! Hope was reborn!! And the Son of the King had opened a pathway for all those who chose to follow him to freedom!!!
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