Dreams As Vast As The Stars

In the classic movie, The Lion King, Mufasa tells young Simba the stars in the night sky were the kings of the past looking down on him, watching over him. Later, when Simba, Timon and Pumbaa were lying in a field staring up at the stars they began to discuss what those twinkly things were. While each had a theory, only one looked at them with any real sense of connection. They brought back memories, pain and in a way some wishful thinking. So, my dear reader, if one night you are out on your porch having a drink finding yourself staring up at the stars, what will you think about?

If you have never given much thought to the idea, let me try to help. Do the stars spark up dreams you once had or even still have? How about memories of being a kid catching lightening bugs? What about lost love and wonder if they ever think about you? Perhaps those stars in the dark velvet sky cause you to just get lost in yourself…in your own mind. Maybe you are one of those people who just doesn't allow yourself the luxury of such an opportunity – to you I say, “You’re really missing out.”

Growing up in Kentucky, being out at night was a common occurrence, whether we would be fishing or just playing, the starlit sky was there. As if the floor of Heaven had little holes poked in it with the light shining through. “Can you find the Big Dipper? What about the Little Dipper?” was often heard as we searched the vast expanse for those constellations every kid has seen for centuries. As the years would pass, I would still look up trying to find the dippers and other constellations only not as often, then into the house I would quickly go shutting my door to the night.

However, now days it’s different, I take the time to notice them. To me they are something more – a connection. When I was a kid looking at those little glowing lights, I had dreams like most and like those stars, my dreams seemed like a million miles away, yet very real. They were spectacular but distant and as I grew up they seemed to get farther away from my grasp but still no less amazing. That is until I decided, that kid didn't die. He didn't stop dreaming. He simply just got older but his dreams were still very much alive only dormant.

My dreams, as a kid were more than that, they were my goals – very real and very attainable. As I sit here, my childhood a long ways in my past, my dreams are becoming a reality all because I allowed myself to dream again, to look at the stars again. It seems, they aren't the kings of the past at all nor just big balls of gas light years away, they are where my dreams have been stored for me to find, to reach for and live again.

So tonight I will venture outside, look at those stars and continue to dream….those remarkable and amazing dreams like those stars.