Finding Our Center

Finding Our Center--

What's in the center is an interesting concept.  Let's take a look at "the center."

Those lovely chocolate cookies with cream filling in the center are a favorite of everyone.   Add a glass of milk to a stack of those delicious cookies, and you have magic.   How about lettuce, tomato and bacon between two slice of toast?   Each of those ingredients are great eaten alone, but when the lettuce, tomato and bacon find themselves in the center,  they create a bit of heaven.  Or what about sitting between two friends at a great movie?  Being in the center means you get to visit with both when you should be quiet!  Ah--being in the center is a great place to be.  Always?

Many things find themselves in the center, don't they?  Even people.  We can be the center of attention, the center of a conflict, the center of an issue.  We find ourselves taking sides about things that are important to us which means we move from the center.  People who are trained as negotiators try to bring people to the center--to see their way out of a challenging position.  Thank goodness, they are often successful.

So, the center is a concept we are all familiar with in our lives.

But, what centers us?  What holds us to our beliefs?  What keeps us moving along a path that leads to more success than failure?  What brings us to our knees?  What touches us at our deepest place?  What helps us make choices that are good for us?  To whom do we turn when life hurts?  When we need to find ourselves, where is that center?  When we move away from our center, what enables us to return?

The answers to those questions are unique to each of us.  What centers me may not center you at all.  Maybe faith brings us to our center.  A good friend who speaks the truth in love may help us find that center again.  I am speaking about a trusted friend, not one who has an agenda that might not be in our best interest.  Perhaps meditation where we learn to quiet ourselves is the place we find that center.  Nature has great power to teach us what is important.  Maybe nature centers some people.

I find it difficult sometimes to find my center.  We are bombarded with disasters, killings, war, budgets, people who cannot or will not compromise, self-centered people.  And that is the short list.  Finding my peaceful center amid the noise of the world takes real effort.  Sometimes it is overwhelming.

And then I see people I love so much, and I know my center is in their love.  I am centered when my family chooses to spend time with me.  I am centered when I have lunch with a friend.  I am centered when I listen to another person.  I am centered when I move outside myself to see the good in others. I am centered when I sit in worship and allow peace and joy to fill my heart.

Our center--What we decide to place in that special spot will determine much about our lives.