The Stars

The other night I went out with some friends.

My brother arrived at our friend's house at eleven at night laden with our lenses and cameras with which we planned to observe the heavens.

Our other friend arrived around the same time and with our gear in hand the four of us headed for the door. We walked out of the neighborhood and turned into the dark path that led into the cornfields around the area.

We walked for about ten minutes until we finally reached a huge clearing.

There was a single tree in the center. It stood stoically in solitude.

We set up our tripods and the telescope we brought and we sat back and watched.

It was cold that night. We were all bundled up in scarves and gloves.

Our toes were cold but our hearts were warm.

Around one in the morning the most brilliant and amazing thing happened.

We were all staring at the sky in silence when a shooting star passed over us.

We were in shock an awe.

For the next hour or so shooting stars graced us with their beauty.

I remember out of the twenty or so that visited us that night, I only saw one.

For some reason or another, I was always turned away.

However, at one point I was staring up when one passed over.

A single shooting star.

My heart soared.

It made me deleriously happy.

My companions and I eventually retired to the house where we drank hot chocolate and ate cookies and reflected on the universe.

Needless to say I didn't sleep that night.

I had work early the next morning but I didn't care.

What mattered, I realised, was here and now.

All the next day I thought about that star.

The single one that the universe allowed me to see.

And I realised something.

Shooting stars are like people.

They are bright and brilliant.

They come and go quickly.

But, the special ones stay with you forever.

In your thoughts and in your heart.

I realised I loved my girlfriend more than the world that night.

I realised she was like a shooting star.

Beautiful and brilliant.

Unique and special.

Like a shooting star, she'll never visit the earth again.

She is my shooting star.

My one and only.

Single

Shooting star.

To my Jasmine