Thanissaro Bhikkhu wrote:
If you learn to approach your I-making and my-making in the light of the Rahula instructions, you greatly refine this aspect of your education, as you find yourself forced to be more honest, discerning, and compassionate in seeing where an "I"
is a liability, and where it's an asset. On a blatant level, you discover that while there are many areas where "I"
lead only to useless conflicts, there are others where they're beneficial. The sense of "I"
that leads you to be generous and principled in your actions is an "I"
worth making, worth mastering as a skill. So, too, is the sense of "I"
that can assume responsibility for your actions, and can be willing to sacrifice a small pleasure in the present for a greater happiness in the future. This kind of "I,"
with practice, leads away from affliction and toward increasing levels of happiness. This is the "I"
that will eventually lead you to practice meditation, for you see the long-term benefits that come from training your powers of mindfulness, concentration, and discernment.
From: The Integrity of Emptiness
by Thanissaro Bhikkhu