The Fairy Tale continues. The King and Queen had a little boy/girl who had a favorite toy; a golden ball. The ball represents pleasing. As children we all learned the power of pleasing others. If we ate our vegetables we were given dessert. If we paid attention in class we were given a better grade. If we pleased our friends we were included in their clique. Pleasing works! You can get a lot in life by pleasing others.
One day the golden ball rolled into Iron John/Jane’s cage. The boy/girl wanted it back and asked Iron John/Jane to return it. He/she would not unless he/she opened the cage. The little girl/boy didn’t know how. Iron John/Jane said the key to the cage was under his/her mother’s pillow.
Isn’t it true that our moms and dads dreamed of us being good boys and girls. They didn’t really want us to be wild and free. Their dreams were for us to do well in school, get a college education, meet a nice person and get married, have a couple of kids, create a solid and steady career, buy a house with a white picket fence and live happily ever after. It is a nice dream but it has nothing to do with wildness.
One day when the King and Queen were gone, the boy/girl snuck into her parents’ bedroom and there, just as Iron Jane/John had promised, the key was under his/her mother’s pillow. She grabbed the key and unlocked the cage.
Iron Jane/John stepped out of the cage, gave back the golden ball and started off toward the forest. The boy/girl was suddenly dismayed. She/he realized that she had done something unforgiveable. Her/his parents could never again see him/her as a good girl/boy.
He/she cried out. Iron John/Jane came back, put the boy/girl on his/her shoulders and headed off into the forest. She/he said, “I have riches more than you will ever know, but you can never go home again!
I wonder if true power requires such a sacrifice. Do we need to give up the illusion of our goodness and innocence to discover the power that will truly drive our greatness? Perhaps so. Those who are innocent can boast in their goodness but do they know who they truly are? You need to break some eggs to make an omelet. Perhaps you need to break some rules to become free.
Your thoughts?
Curious about Iron John? Read the full story.
