In the Arthurian legend of Parsifal’s quest for the grail, his classic question to the Grail King was, in some versions of the legend “what ails thee?” And in others it was, “whom does the grail serve.” Parsifal’s quest is everyman’s quest. “What ails thee?” is the question that a knight must not ask, but Parsifal does. And thus the castle disappears and his quest for reconnection with it begins. This version of the story has been a major inspiration to me.

The question of “Whom do you serve” is to me a less known, and less contemplated version of this myth that tells our human story. But I have been contemplating it more. Life delivers opportunities for where to focus our energies every moment of every day. It can be very difficult to sort out which way to go at any give n moment. Asking this question, “whom do you serve?” helps me. If the answer is “Love” then I know I want to go that way. If what else calls me serves some other value more than it does love, I know I would rather choose the direction that moves toward loving – loving life, loving those most close in life, loving those the gods have given each of us to love, loving earth, our mother, and everything that will protect and care for her. The question is a simplifier. I like it.