Twinkle Little Star

The sun yawns and a dark blanket covers the earth. One by one little spots of light wake up. They’re dim at first but gradually, they stretch out and get brighter. Soon there is a bustling city with the stars standing lazily about and meteors rocketing through the sky, in a hurry to get to where they’re going. Watching them, I feel calmed and relax. “The stars are the jewels of the night, and perchance surpass anything which day has shown.” Thinking about Henry David Thoreau, I realize this is true, and I believe in watching the stars.

In fifth grade, I moved back to Colorado from Montana and soon met Ariadne, the daughter of my mom’s friends. Even though she was only two, she had already been told she would die. Aria had cancer. In sixth grade, my family helped to start the organization Angels for Aria and raised money to help her get the treatment she needed. Ninth grade ended and July was coming around the corner. On July 2nd, my mom told me Aria was in the hospital again and that it didn’t look good. July 4th, 2008, we received the news that she had passed away. How could a six year old child pass away? It wasn’t right, and I was devastated. This little girl was the closest thing to a sister I had ever had and I had watched her live and die, leaving behind her parents and three-year-old sister. Day turned into night. I watched the fireworks with my family and stayed out long afterwards. The smoke disappeared and the stars shone brightly. I just stayed there and watched the sky, listening to Daughtry sing, “I’m staring out into the night…” and thinking about Samwise Gamgee from Lord of the Rings, “There is light, and beauty up there, that no shadow can touch.” A calmness overcame me. I knew that everything would be all right.

Everyday I go to school, go to work, go home, go, go, go. I’m always very busy, and it’s true that this is a busy world. I always try to take time to myself though and do something that fills me with a peace and provides me with answers. I watch the stars. They’re always there, they’re shining most days, and they’re always beautiful. We all need something to calm us down — to let us slow down and appreciate our lives. For me, it’s this.

Ishmael Beah, author of A Long Way Gone, once wrote, “In the sky, there are explanations for everything: every pain, every joy, suffering and confusion.” Watching the sky provides me with the answers I need. It slows down my life just a little and allows me to relax. It lets me appreciate every moment of my life and be happy about it. This I believe.