The Stars Are Always Shining

Several weeks ago, while enjoying a nighttime walk in the yard amongst the scurry of rabbits and the night frogs singing, I looked skyward. Eventually, my motion-sensing floodlight went back to sleep, and as my eyes adjusted to the darkness, the stars seemed to change. The bright ones got brighter and seemingly larger while others that had been barely visible before became more prominent. What had once been a large, black space became a rich, deep blue arena of twinkling celestial bodies.

Of course, being a product of decades of nerdiness (to which many of my childhood friends may attest), I understood that those stars did not suddenly grow or emerge in the blankness of space, beckoned into existence by my renewed sense of wonder. Those luminous objects were there long before the beginning of man’s time on Earth.

As I pondered that thought, my mind turned to the "stars" who have shown brighter during the recent dark times in our communities — good-hearted people, many who have known pain and failure and have pushed through it, choosing to live a life of kindness, forgiveness, and love. No longer fearing the dark, these individuals became their own light and found ways to help illuminate the path for others who may have had a difficult time adjusting and functioning while sheltering in place under the cloud of COVID-19.

Using positive actions and goodwill to build each other up, we make our communities stronger — one good deed, one kind word, one smile at a time. To all our friends and neighbors, first responders, health care workers, grocers, cashiers, stockers, and leaders in business and government who are on the front lines, we salute you and are praying for you. To each and every person reading this — stay strong, healthy, and shine.