Our stories, our selves

I just finished reading Taigen Dan Leighton's book: Faces of Compassion and I really liked at the end when he states:

...we learn that the selves we believe ourselves to be are fictions. The truth is wider and deeper than all the stories. We can recast our stories so that we are not caught by our stories, while still relating our stories as the most beautiful expressions possible for kindly awakening everyone from enslaving stories. Our addictions, misconduct, and confusion can be acknowledged in our enactment of an account of our liberation from these failings.
Buddhist liberation is about fully knowing our stories, and not being trapped by them. Stories have their own power. Trying to force our old stories to go away just reinforces their grasps on us. But after listening quietly and carefully to the old, worn fables we have been telling ourselves, or that we were trained to relate by our world, we can gently let them go, see that they are only a part of a greater story including all beings.

Also, while reading the book I decided to paint a picture of each one of the Bodhisattvas, using a Medieval and Celtic knotwork design. I finished the Kanzeon picture on Friday and will hang it in our meditation room.