Is it just me?

Am I wasting my time trying to make others into a version of myself? It’s much easier to look outwards than to keep my attention on me. But that’s ego for you. It will keep you focused on others, or rather their weaknesses and limitations. It may not be a dirty word according to popular culture but it can make you rigid, inflexible and create a sense of separation. If you have the habit of looking at others, simply change what you see. To put it into some perspective, imagine if the world was populated with only you or versions of you? My initial thought may be that ‘Yeah, that would be great’. But even if you are really ‘good’, over time a sense of boredom would develop. Suppose there were only ever one version of everything, that too would become tiresome. As nice as they are, if there were only roses and no other flowers or only one flavour of food or one meal you could eat - how would that be? We actually like variety but don’t spend enough time appreciating it. We get tired of others because we don’t like what we see. It seems some adjustment to our vision is needed. If we have the have the habit of looking at others then we can expand our vision to take in their virtues. Ego seeks superiority, mastery and dominance but the soul on a deeper level desires love and acceptance - somethings the ego can’t provide.