# <center>The silent, invisible enemy...</center>

<center>![killing me softly.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmRHF361Hgk6Xp6dj17wALQxghmUVKzwJP4rXNyoGp4Q9P/killing%20me%20softly.png)</center><br>  

> ## <center>"Is that YOU or your EGO?"</center>    
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Rarely do I take a picture and not even notice what I have captured!   In this case,  it happened.    

I was out,  trying to find an elusive red pretty bird on my list of photogenic subjects (  I mean a real bird.  Not a bird in red dress like the 'Woman in Red'..  LOL).

The bird showed up for about 20 seconds and before I could take a decent enough photograph,  it took off and was gone.  I waited around patiently for 30 minutes or more but the bird had apparently decided to suddenly turn photo shy.

Frustrated, I started walking back and on the trail,  just at the outskirts of my hometown,  saw this shiny green bug with pretty dots.   Oh wow-  That guy looks nice,  said I and took a couple of shots.

I forgot all about it till today.  I am traveling and was actually trying to get rid of some unwanted pictures from my hard disk because I need to get some space free for some data that I will have to store after the meeting tomorrow.  I was zipping through pictures and was about to hit 'Delete' on this one.  But wait -

A closer look and I saw that my green happy bug was actually getting murdered.  Getting killed by a silent and almost invisible enemy!    A spider actually was killing it.

This is one of the most unexpected pictures caught on my Nikon P900 last month.  Note how well the spider  is camouflaged...
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https://steemitimages.com/DQmXAA3o1jtnJLSxzMyAahhxWzTEL4Cmpy75wvkYKdrbU5B/DSCN7749_1024x768.jpg
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I looked at that pair of  hapless victim  plus silent killer and suddenly likened the bug to myself...

I am a happy and bright person.  Just like the bright bug.  I think I go about my business - without interference with others.  However,  I have not realized,  as I traipsed through life,  flitting from branch to branch that a silent killer lurked right there with me.   

The killer is my ego.    It is right there -  in plain sight.   I KNOW it is there.   However,  I allow it to slowly affect me and make me into a hollow shell.   Now - why does that happen?

It happens because my ego is well camouflaged.  It camouflages itself in many ways.  Some of them are:

## Ego disguised as pride

How often have I not said sorry for simple mistakes because I feel that it is 'beneath me' to do so.  How often have 
I hurt loved ones by doing so!   Sometimes,  it is not worth fighting over trivial things.  I should easily be able to defer to my elders and let go of things   or  forgive my younger family members.   

Unfortunately, I do not do this because of my ego.  I blow things out of proportion by mistakenly thinking my 'Pride'  is getting hurt.    My pride should not be so fragile.

## Ego disguised as righteous anger

Sometimes,  I mix up some issues that anger me by constructing logic that makes things seem that I am correct in being angry.  It could just be that my ego prevents me from seeing the full picture.  My ego prevents me from putting myself in others' shoes.

## Ego disguised as Need for dominance and killing instinct

Sometimes,  I am unwilling to accept that others could be better at a few things than I am.  No one is born equal but my need to 'Win'  makes me want to dominate everything that I attempt.   It is actually my ego that is driving me but I mistake it for my need for 'killing instinct'

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### If I know this much about ego and I can preach about it then why have I not done anything about it?   That too is because my ego disguises itself as  'MY personality'   I have this death-wish and I am what I am.  I am the happy green bug and why should I change....   There  -    more ego- you see?
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I am perhaps a lost cause now but you may be able to recognize the signs and keep your ego under control. 
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## <center>In Conclusion:</center>
## <center>One day - the silent killer, ego will get us all and all that will be left is a happy empty green pretty shell... Just an 'image' of our former self!</center>

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### <center>Steemians,  please comment freely to share your experiences, knowledge and views about ego. Thanks.</center>

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[![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmcN8QG3D9k6Gxr1m5nMy7ooLSnE46W3TBRkjodPWagYbG/image.png)](https://steemit.com/@vm2904)

Note: All images except for the wildlife photos and the title image created by me are from [pixabay.com](https://pixabay.com/).   Image credit has been specifically mentioned for images not falling under these two categories.

<center>![vm2904gif.gif](https://steemitimages.com/DQmQfSDWyDQRHN28N2cAJe9guHQpkG2DbPfSavt56jywdJM/vm2904gif.gif)
Gif crafted by the Legendary @stellabelle for me based on my Lion Avatar</center>