The hurting ego

You can only say hurtful things when you are hurting. The ego is often overwhelmed in conflict and when it is fearful it lashes out at everyone and everything. Only the ego responds to hurt as the higher self awareness is beyond the duality that encourages hurt. Hurt comes when a disagreement is involved between two or more parties and the highest truth has not been seen or reached in the discussion. Often a defensive posture is taken to defend each ego against the hurtful possibility it might be wrong or misguided. No one wants another to tell them the truth, they want to hear it from within themselves, but many times it is not possible because they are not ready. Messengers are sent to deliver a message or wakeup call but the ego says "Who do they think they are?"  Truth cannot hurt who you really are, but the ego always hurts because it wants control and truth prevents it from happening.