Chapter 24: What’s Around Me?

“Alright,” I said to God. “I’m a mistake at the center of the universe.” I smiled at the image. I imagined spreading my attention out, out, out and back, back, back in time toward the ancient explosion that started it all. Every time I did it, it felt good. “You need to practice that,” said the metanovel. “I do,” I said. “You need to practice a lot,” said the metanovel. “I will,” I said. “Now that you know where you are and what you are,” said God, “to further help you enjoy life you need to correctly perceive what’s around you. What’s around you?”to helplessness “Well, there are walls and floors. My wife’s in her office working on her book. Outside the house is the Salt Pond and the woods. And there are the people who live in my town, and the people in my state. And all the people on Earth. And, there are animals and plants, of course. Just a lot of stuff.” “It’s not animals and plants and stuff, as you so eloquently put it,” said God. “You’re sur­ rounded by your family.” “Not exactly surrounded,” I said. “I’ve got a wife in Maine. Three kids and their families in Boston. My brother in Florida and his family, my sister in Washington and hers.” “Your family is much, much bigger than that,” said God. “Well, yes,” I said. “If you count second and third and fourth cousins it’s bigger. But so what?” “You’ve failed to realize the elegance of God’s design,” said Lemaître. “The Big Bang puts you and everyone at the center of the universe.” “Quite so,” said Darwin. “And evolution not only shows that you’re a mistake. It also sur­ rounds you and everyone with family.” God snapped Her fingers and something changed. Self-Referential Metanovel Writing for D*mmies