In a land called Prodigus, there was a young chess piece named “Pawn.” He disliked his name because it seemed common and lower class. In his innocent mind, he dreamed of being a king; in fact, the greatest king that ever lived. He knew that pawns were often considered peasants of “the board,” as it was called; and that they were often sacraficed, a move that he found most unappealing.

During one game, when Pawn was waiting to be moved, the King on his side of the board noticed the young chess piece’s malaise. Pawn looked tired and forlorn. Because of his loving nature, the King inched closer and struck up a quiet conversation. “Is something bothering you?” he asked.

Young Pawn’s face immediately brightened. He was honoured to have the King’s attention. “Uhm, thank you for asking,” he stammered. “I’ll be okay. It’s just that I don’t really like being a pawn. I want to be a great king like you.”

“Ahh,” said the King, with a nod. “Now, I understand. Has the competitive nature of our game been bothering you?”

“What do you mean?” asked Pawn.

The King chose his words carefully. “Well, enthusiasm for the game is important; but we must also remember what really matters. Pieces often compare themselves to other pieces and imagine that someone with a higher ranking is more valuable.”

“But you are!” exclaimed Pawn. “You’re royalty–the most important one! The whole chess game is based around you.”

The King smiled and patted Pawn on the shoulder. “That’s just the way it looks,” he said. “We’re wise not to judge by appearances.”

“What do you mean?” asked Pawn.

The king looked deep into Pawn’s eyes. “The truth is,” said the King, “that I’m not worth one whit more than you.”

“Huh?,” said Pawn, with a puzzled expression. “I don’t understand.”

“I mean,” said the King, “that you and I are of equal worth, even though we play different roles. I’m called the King, but “King” isn’t what I Am. It’s only relatively true that I’m more valuable than you. From the perspective of Truth, we’re equal. We’re both made of God stuff.”

“What’s God stuff?” asked Pawn.

“God stuff,” said the King, “is your essential nature. It’s what you and I actually are. At the deepest level, we’re the same.”

Pawn beamed quietly. Within him, he felt a sense of warm belonging that felt vaguely familiar. “Thank you, my King, for telling me.”

The King leaned down and discreetly gave Pawn a hug. “Just between you and me, you don’t have to call me King. It’s just a name…basically just letters arranged in a particular order. In fact, my real name is Archibald. I used to get called “Baldy” when I was a kid; but that can be our little secret.”

***

Dear Readers: Like all of us, Pawn was conditioned to think of himself as a thing. He knew himself only as a chess piece with a certain name, who lived on this or that type of board, and was a commoner in the game of life. His status was determined, so he assumed, by the definitions that he had accepted about himself. Thus, he believed that he’d finally be a somebody when he, too, was a king. What he overlooked, as most “persons” do, is that a king who’s unaware of his essential nature is impoverished, even if he’s living in a palace. Thank goodness that the King told him that he was made of God “stuff.” Could you, too, be overlooking a deeper dimension of Self that’s priceless? The difference between being played by life, and being an aware player, is tremendous. (If you’re earnest about recognizing your divine nature, you might find my short YouTube video entitled “Ruminating on Rumi” helpful.)

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Copyright © – 2026 – R. Arthur Russell

P.S. Please share this article if you enjoyed it. If you’d like to view my latest book (This Taste of Flesh and Bones), press here. My YouTube videos can be found at Think2wice@I-Am-Aware. May the content of either or both help you along your spiritual journey. “Thank You” & “Note to Publishers” 🙏🏻🧡