When I gaze up at the night sky on a clear evening, I’m in awe at the abundance of stars there are in the endless, black abyss of space.
There is something special about breathing in outside air and being surrounded by nature that makes me appreciate my life like nothing else. The world is vast and humans are like a small grain of sand on the beach that is our universe.
I realize that in my short time on this Earth, I need to live every day as fully as I can. It starts with recognizing my personal universe of stars.
I have a copious amount of people—especially women—who have impacted my life in a multitude of ways.
Those who are a 16-minute drive down the highway or in another city. Those who are down the hallway or across the street.
Some have been with me almost my entire life, while some I’ve met rather recently, but each is a bright light in my life.
They are always there for me; I know I can always count on them. I look up at the sky and see the Big Dipper, just like I can see them.
I know the constellations that I can ceaselessly spot in my night sky.
The Big Dipper is made up of seven different stars that have connected to draw out the shape of the constellation. Throughout my life, I have noticed seven constant women whom I look up to, go through life with, and cherish.
Three of those stars are my same age. Those who I spend my seven hours five times a week with, constantly talking about papers, trigonometry, or whatever random topic we come up with.
From playing fruitless word games in my car ten minutes before school starts to binging six seasons of an immaculate show I wish to re-watch again, this star has been there my whole life. I met her over a decade ago and she has stuck by my side ever since.
The other two have been my newfound stars, joining me in the past few trips around the sun.
We’ve gone on many adventures together: speaking in front of hundreds of people, watching movies, and soon we’ll see one of our favorite artists in concert.
The other four stars are the ones I’ve looked up to and admired in the course of my life thus far.
One has become like an older sister to me, our age gap is just wide enough that she can pass down all the advice of the moments she’s already gone through. She’s there for me whenever I need her. Though she will soon be sailing all around the globe, for now, she’s only 40 minutes away.
A pair of them I see every Sunday.
They greet me at the door with beaming smiles. A particular one of them I’ve known since I was eight, she’s been with me through the highest and lowest moments. Her laugh and smile light up the room and she is a beacon of light in my life; she belts songs with me and makes everything around her wonderful. A single embrace can heal any issue. I know that she’s only a text or a quick drive away.
That other star I see at the end of my weeks is sweet like honey and always a warm, friendly face. She’s a constant one, and I’m so fortunate to know her.
The final star is the one who has been with me since day one. The one who has seen every moment of my life; the one who has watched me grow up. She’s the one I come home to every night, always greeting me with a hug. She sang to me lullabies for many years while I tried to drift off to sleep. I will always look up to her, forever and always.
These women, and many more, make my life shine. Without them, I don’t know who I’d be.
They make my sky full, and when I gaze up I am greeted with the spectacular view of seven bright, gleaming stars.
“’Cause you’re a sky / ’cause you’re a sky full of stars / ‘Cause you light up the path”
– A Sky Full Of Stars by Coldplay
