A Ditty for “In”-Dignity-Out

by Jane Tawel

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A Ditty for “In”-Dignity- Out

By Jane Tawel

December 10, 2025

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“You’re getting too big for your britches”,

I said to my ego today.

“You folly and flail;

You argue and rail

against pinpricks that get in your way.”

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An ego’s a wondrous invention.

It’s evolved us from primordial stink.

But it’s out of control,

both for me and for all;

bringing nations, religions and folks to the brink

of believing we are what we think.

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We’re killing the world with our egos.

We’re gobbling and gobbling it up.

Addicted to power and ever more stuff,

Numbing our conscience with shopping and shows — 

for the kind Gods to save us is going to be tough.

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We often think ego’s validity

are the stories we use to protect

all the walls that we build

to enclose a false entity,

and the fears and the hopes we project.

But by armoring our outsides against our own hearts,

We unbalance our yang with no yin,

And we grieve our own Spirit of love, peace, and joy,

(which is really the ultimate sin).

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Today as I went to the altar

where I worship the Me-ness of me,

I found myself groveling before all my thoughts

that swarmed like great howling banshees.

I felt all the shame of my past Mea Culpas

and the pain of vague future fears seared my skull so,

so confused by the conflab of my claptrap and woes

that I left my poor Gift at the altar and went

on a walk ‘mongst the trees and the sunlight.

I found my thoughts stilling and I finally sent

up a prayer to be free from the hold: strong and tight,

of an ego that battled True Truth and Clear Sight.

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And with each little breath, Love’s peace silenced the din.

And I found, without pride, there was dignity-in,

not in-dignity-out of a life lived for me,

not in-dignity-out of my hypocrisy;

but the wisdom that comes not needing to “know”,

and from sensing inside I could be more than ego.

I can find Divine Self, if I only let go

and allow seeds of Love to flourish and grow.

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So, tomorrow I may prove not to know how,

But today, to my ego, I say, “bye-bye for now”.

And I’ll walk in the Present and in Presence and Grace

and let go of the neediness in my cluttered mind-space.

I will walk step-by-step, doing all that I must

to embrace peace and kindness, and Heaven-bound Trust.

Mindfulness ruling ego, I feel myself freed.

Loving Self, loving Others, I am free here indeed.

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Jane Tawel, 2025