Our eighteen year old cat has taken to an interesting habit recently. She will hop up on my lap, receive some behind-the-ear scratches, then promptly jump off the chair. After a few minutes, she’ll reappear on my lap for another round of scratches. This will happen a few times before she finally settles down for a cat nap. Should I not deliver an acceptable number of scratches, she gives me that cat look which says, “What are you waiting for?? I am the center of the universe. Some courtesy please!”
I was reading one of my favorite blogs this morning by Fr. Richard Rohr, where he mentioned that one of the most radical and liberating realizations that a person could have is that they are NOT the center of the universe. As Pastor Rick Warren says, “It’s not about you.” This discovery paves the way for an ever-broadening experience of Life’s Bigger Picture. It allows for being connected to people and stuff all around us in some wonderfully inspiring ways. It is seeing our small story as a blessing withing the Larger Story. It’s what Jesus called Abundant Life. It’s what I call God.

It’s like two drops of water perched on the edge of a dock over the ocean.  One drop says to the other, “I fear I’m about to drop from my comfortable attachment to this dock.”  Drop #2 replies, “What’s to fear?”  Drop #1, “I fear I’ll loose my unique, sparkling personality.” Drop #1:  “You will still be you, but just more spread out and greeting a much bigger world.”  “Ohhh”, said Drop #1 thoughtfully.  A minute passed and Drop #1 suddenly shouts, “Bombs away!”, letting go into a Much Bigger Story.