“The Sun, with all the planets revolving around it, and depending on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as though it had nothing else in the Universe to do.”

– Galileo Galilei

It is admirable to aspire to do great things.  What a waste of our natural abilities not to develop them and bring something to the world that honors our reason for being created!  There probably is not one person among us who doesn’t have a dream, who doesn’t imagine sharing that dream in a meaningful way and touching others with its beauty.  Each of us has times when we are called upon to perform a task or duty that makes us feel important.  There is something alluring about the power we feel when we are seen as the authority and people seek our advice and leadership.  It is nice to be the Sun from time to time and sit at the center of things and feel the way that our gravity keeps the planets moving in an orderly fashion — saved from chaos by our ability to keep them under control.  Learning to use our talents in a way that allows others to be inspired to find their own talents is the mark of being a good leader; and we should honor our abilities by stepping into the center when we have something to offer.

When we were kids, I used to tell my brother, “just because Mom and Dad call you Sonny, that doesn’t mean you’re bright — or that the world revolves around you.”  When we sit at the center and it is our turn to shine, we need to remember not to be blinded by our own brilliance.  If all the Sun had time for was the orderly movement of the planets, how would it have time to warm the world?  How would its light bring us the beautiful green of the first grass of Spring or show us the lush, darker green of a summer meadow?  It is nice to have the opportunity to be brilliant and to let our light be seen.  It is important when we have the opportunity to shine like the Sun that we also remember to ripen the grapes.  Our time in the Sun is most beautiful when it brings Light to the planets and calls to their awareness the seeds that lie within them just waiting to grow and bear fruit.  When we are called for a time to stand in the center and be the Sun, we should be about ripening each bunch of grapes that grows, as though we had nothing else in the Universe to do.