Meditation: "Stepping Out of the Story"

Today I want to try to "step out of the story" every so often. This is a phrase used by many spiritual teachers, and it refers to removing myself, now and then, from the on-going personal story of "me against the world". All of us succumb, at an early age, to the delusion of seeing life as a personal story with a main character (me) who struggles over time with countless obstacles and threats, but it's important to see that there's another, radically different way of perceiving life. If I can simply step away from the personal story now and then, and simply observe it instead of play a role in it, I will see that life is a great deal more peaceful than I had thought. For I will see that life continues on without my personal participation. When I have stepped out of the story, things continue to happen, and the wonderful part is that I am not responsible for making them happen. They just happen. The grand universe continues without my personal help or approval. This is a marvelous truth to realize, because it immediately removes a weighty burden from my shoulders. Suddenly, after a lifetime spent worrying and controlling and manipulating and feeling guilty, I realize that everything is being taken care of. The magnificent cosmos is spinning along in its harmonious manner, and I, being part of it, am serenely spinning along with it. In class today, I can step away from the story of "me against the curriculum and my students" and just observe as the curriculum takes care of itself. I am part of a productive, efficient universe, so my classroom can't help but be productive and efficient. I don't need to be in charge, because the universe already is.