Stargazing

Stargazing is a wonderful hobby. I could sit on the grass for hours, just staring up into the vastness of space. The stars remind me of being with my brother, are often part of my stories, and help me gain perspective in this chaotic world. They are one of God�s most miraculous creations, and I am always in awe of them as they shine through the night.

My brother Jesse first got me interested in stargazing when I was a very young child. He would take me outside and point out all of the stars and constellations that he knew. Jesse learned all that he knew about them on his own, from books, magazines, and the occasional television show on PBS. Sometimes he would even tell me stories about why the constellations had certain names and how they were related to various characters in Greek and Roman mythology. These stories and starry nights would help me out when I began writing poems and short stories.

A starry night is often the often the opening setting of some of my better poems and short stories. Stars have always piqued my curiosity, and the stars have even been a setting for a short story I did for a high school Astronomy class. They are always a source of romantic ideas, and I find myself inspired to write whenever I go outside and see them high above the rooftops. Sometimes I find myself comforted by the thought that almost all of the people I love best can look out of their windows, and see the same stars that I see every night.

I gain perspective from stargazing. When I feel as if all of the problems I have are overwhelming me, I look up and see that I am just a speck too small to measure on a small planet orbiting a medium yellow star. The color of the night sky is always dark, but it is different every night. The stars all move in orbit of the center of the Milky Way, even as planets, comets, gas clouds, or other objects orbit them. Each star has a set course, and they all sparkle like diamonds in the night. My problems don�t go away, but I am reminded that life does go on in spite of any difficulties I may encounter in my life.

Stargazing is definitely a wonderful hobby. Stars are truly one of God�s most miraculous creations. They have helped me gain perspective in my life, been a part of my short stories and poems, and remind me of all that my brother taught me. The stars have inspired me and remind me of God�s awesome power. As I grow older, I hope that I will never lose my awe of the stars.

�Rebecca Lynn Oaks 1/20/99