Lesson One
PUT YOUR ATTENTION ON YOUR IDENTITY
Stolen Identity
Once upon a time in a Kingdom far, far away a Royal family celebrated the birth of a most beautiful little girl, their beloved daughter named Joy. Joy was born a princess with all the kingdom at her bidding. The King and Queen adored baby Joy, she was greatly loved. Every day the queen helped put baby Joy down for a midday nap. She would sit beside the cradle gently rocking baby Joy to sleep while singing a lilting lullaby, a melody of love that was born in the queens heart and drifted effortlessly into the child’s heart. Soon the child would be asleep and the queen would leave the room letting the child’s nursemaid stay in attendance. The king and queen were very happy.
Over the months baby Joy grew into a delightful baby girl. She cooed and laughed with everyone and she thoroughly entertained the royal family. And everyday the queen sang her lilting lullaby to baby Joy. The queen enjoyed this routine very much.
One day around three in the afternoon a terrible scream was heard reverberating all thoroughout the castle. The Royal family rushed to discover the tragedy that awaited them. When the nursemaid had gone to gather up baby Joy from her noonday nap to her horror, she found the cradle empty. Someone had stolen baby Joy. Some how the thieves had scaled the palace wall and gained entrance through the large French doors on the adjoining balcony.
A fearful hush fell over the entire Kingdom. The king and queen sought their daughter with everything available to them. Mighty warriors and hunters searched the woods all around the castle but came up empty. A large reward was offered for anyone with information about baby Joys disappearance. Many leads were tracked down to reveal absolutely nothing. Baby Joy was gone, STOLEN.
Despair rained down on the kingdom. Doom and gloom hung over the village like a perpetual storm cloud. Gladness and joy were swallowed up in sadness. Only sorrow remained. And time, lots of time.
Years passed and no one heard a word about the stolen princess. Eventually Kingdom business began again, a shade of normal returned. But hearts had been broken and now only a thin, frail scab covered the wounds. Life slowly moved on but without heart.
Ten years after the fateful event the king and queen were invited to a neighboring village to share in some local festivities. For these events the King and Queen would usually give welcoming speeches. This year the royal carriage carried the king and queen to the town square where a stage and podium had been erected for the days festivities. They marched in procession from the coach to the podium while the town's people cheered. The king and queen were much loved by their subjects and so much the more after that terrible day long ago. Taking their seats on the stage the king was graciously introduced and then walking to the podium, began his welcoming speech. When he finished he invited the queen to say a few words. The towns folks longed to hear from the queen, it was indeed a rare treat, she was so encouraging and had such a gentle way about her. The audience listened attentively as the queen began to deliver her message. An etherial voice carried on the wind interrupted her speech. A melody so divine it seemed mystical was drifting toward the stage. A lilting melody that mesmerized the crowd, all except the queen for she recognized this melody. She stopped speaking and listened intently. Then she began to sing. Softly at first but gradually her voice got stronger and louder. Now the two voices blended in perfect harmony and synchronicity. The king too was aware of the significance of this song and immediately sent his foot soldiers to track down the mysterious singer. They found a young girl toward the back of the crowd with her eyes close and her head tilted toward the heavens, she was singing the most enrapturing duet with the queen. The soldiers wasted no time in retrieving the girl, putting her in the royal coach and heading quickly back to the castle. The lost princess had been found. Baby Joy was now 11 yrs. old and she was home at last.
A happy ending right? Alas, not yet.
Baby Joy had been stolen by thieves. They were gypsy like in their ways and practices and had ‘adopted’ baby Joy into one of their families. They loved her, fed her, clothed her, sang and danced with her - all gypsy style. So young Joy acted very much like her adopted family.
Of course she was a princess by birth but after being stolen from the king and queen over time she FORGOT her family, her Royal Identity, she forgot who she was, who she had always been. This meant that she sometimes went into the village and stole fruit or pastry from local merchants. When Joy sat at the dinner table she ate without manners, grabbing and stuffing food in her mouth. Laughing and talking loudly with food spilling out and flying across the table. It meant she would ditch her princess clothes for stolen rags that were simply more familiar. If she didn’t get her way, if the nursemaid or her parents said no, well then, quite a tantrum would ensue. Screaming profanities, kicking and throwing things was the gypsy way of getting her way. Many of these behaviors happened in public much to the chagrin of the king and queen.
Oh, what to do? They talked for hours consulting with their wise counselors about the situation and VOILÉ - decided upon a course of action. Their daughter was a princess so that's how they would treat her, NO MATTER WHAT. They continued to dress her in costly, royal garments and when she took them off and threw them away her nanny would still bow and speak kindly to her and with respect. Then they would once again put the Royal garment back on Joy. At the dinner table the butler would gather up all her mess and wipe off the table. He would then set it again and offer the little princess lovely food. Then he would clean up the mess, wipe off the table, and offer the little princess more lovely food. Her screaming tantrums were some what ignored. They only kept her from hurting herself or anyone else. Everyone spoke with grace in their voices no matter how loudly she screamed. When the tantrum subsided, though it might take many minutes or even hours, they would continue to speak to her most kindly, she was a princess after all.
All this they did for weeks upon weeks. Until one day. . . the little princess dressed herself in her princess dress, came downstairs and sat at the breakfast table using the most gracious manners and quietly ate her meal, thanking everyone who served her. After her transformation, which was an end to Joy's IDENTITY CRISIS she would occasionally be tempted to steal and apple or a fruit pie from the town store but since she looked and sounded every bit like a princess she would come to her senses and refrain from her former behaviors with a giggle and proceed to go home and help herself to all the fruit and pastries she wanted because they were already hers.
That which had been stolen was completely restored. Joy’s true nature was never lost but it was forgotten. Her parents instructions to love and respect Joy's true identity awakened Joy’s heart to a long lost memory of tender love, her sweet family and who she was. The lullaby was stored in her heart as well as everything else about her true identity. She resonated with love.
It turns out we all have an identity that is stored in our hearts as well. We are all amazing, we are enough. Remembering who we are is the main thing. Love and kindness is the way.
Always remember the most irritating person in your world might just need a to be treated with a little honor and respect.
→ Did this story bring tears to your eyes? Ask yourself how you are relating to the story.
→ Have you ever thought about your divine heritage? God is your Father, what does that make you?
→ You are enough. Think about that for a few minutes.
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