The Red Beast is a passionate creature addicted to the needles of the Glass Cactus. This causes it harm yet it cannot resist the pleasure it creates in the creature's mind. It clings to it, yet the Red Beast is slowly bleeding out. One day, as he embraced the Glass Cactus, for a brief, shining moment he pondered, "What are the lost things we love? Are they attachments we have to things that ultimately bring us suffering?" But that moment was overcome by the tsunami of pleasure the needles brought to the creature.

The Red Beast And The Glass Cactus Part 3: The Lost Things We Love

This is a song of revelation for Gilgamesh. After losing the Flower of Life to a serpent and expending his energies in the fruitless pursuit of eternal life, Gilgamesh finally realized these things are illusory and unattainable. He is human, after all, and cannot escape the fact that he will someday die. What he can do is to make the best of his time left on Earth by ruling the people of Uruk with compassion and understanding.

Like all of us, Gilgamesh has the potential to be truly great. But greatness is not about ego or fame it is about how we treat each other, how we love one another and how we sacrifice for one another. It is about humility and servitude. Although Gilgamesh failed to attain eternal life, or eternal youth, he was given another chance to change himself in the one precious life he has. Indeed, as the great Hindu text, the Mahabharata reminds us, the greatest battle is the battle within! As king, Gilgamesh was a terrible ruler. He finally realized this and it is in effect his second chance to correct the injustice to which he subjected his people. The greatest leaders of all time were the most dedicated servants to mankind.

In the words of the Master, (Mt:19:30): "But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first".

AND...

Mt:20:27: "And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant"

The Red Beast And The Glass Cactus Part 3: The Lost Things We Love

Tony Garone

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