Narcisuss and being your own client |
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Treating myself as my own client has reminded me of the prologue of The Alchemist, which I re-read recently (in Spanish).
In it, there's a parable of a parable...
The Alchemist reflects on Oscar Wilde's story of Narcissus.
Wilde goes beyond recalling the youth falling into the lake and drowning for enamoring himself of his own beauty.
Instead, Wilde calls attention to a conversation between the Oreads—or the forest goddesses—and the Lake itself.
The Lake has gone from clear to salty, due to its tears. The goddesses ask why the lake is crying.
The Lake tells them that it cries for Narcissus, and the goddesses are not surprised. The Lake then asks the goddesses whether Narcissus was beautiful.
Surprised, they say that of anyone, the Lake should know!
The Lake (this is my paraphrasing) reflects, takes a few moments to respond.
Finally the Lake answers and tells the goddesses that every time Narcissus peered over his shore, the Lake could see, in the back of the eyes of Narcissus, the Lake's own beauty reflected.
—¡Qué bella historia!—dijo el Alquimista.
