about

The Little Star

copyright Cliodhna Quinlan

clioq@yahoo.com

Once upon a time, a year, a thousand years or a turn of a galaxy ago (it does not matter), a new star was born. She was very little and quite shy and when she looked at the bigger stars she thought

?I can?t shine as brightly as those stars, they are very brave to shine that bright in the huge darkness that is Space. Everything is too big and I am too small? and she hid and stayed small and nobody knew she was there.

The shadows that feed off fear and shyness came and attached themselves to her.

They whispered in her ear ?You are not as good as those other stars, you will never shine as brightly as them, you are a dud, a freak, an accident, why did you think you could ever be born as a star??

Or they whispered ?the other stars don?t want to play with you, they don?t like you?

Or ?you will never have friends, you will be alone all your life?

The little star listened to them and after a while began to think they were right and her light became even dimmer. One day, one year, or one turn of a galaxy (it does not matter) a very old star decided to help. He had watched the little star for a while and saw the shadows and what they were doing. He saw that the little star had almost given up. He went to the little star and chased away the shadows and took the little star into his own calm steady light.

?You are beautiful? he said to the little star and the little star looked at him in wonderment.

?But you are so much brighter and better at being a star than I am? she said to the old star

?That is the shadows talking? said the old star ?Now come, I want to show you something?

He took the little star to a place in space where there were no stars and only a black hole lived. The black hole was deep and space around it was empty and cold and the little star was afraid and she stayed very close to the big star.

?You are safe with me? said the big star ?but if you came here on your own it would swallow you up as it has swallowed everything around it?

No light came out of the black hole, only fear and anger and a terrible hunger. The little star stared at it in disbelief.

?It would swallow the entire universe and still be hungry? said the big star

?How horrible to be like that? said the little star and she felt sad for the black hole ?Can you not help it??

The big star shook his head ?It would not want me to, it has made its choice and only it can help itself?

?Choice?? said the little star in puzzlement

?Yes? said the big star and he smiled down at the little star ?Now I have something else to show you?

He took the little star to another part of the galaxy where there were many stars and they played and danced together and they made the little star happy to see them.

They saw the little star and the big star and they danced around them and took the little star to play with them. The little star played happily with them for hours and then she was tired and she went back to the big star.

?They are so happy? she said to the big star ?I wish I could be like that?

The big star picked her up and, as she slept, he carried her back to her home. When they returned the big star said ?Now, you have a choice. You can either be the black hole full of fear and anger or you can be like the stars you played with today, happy and bright and unafraid, there is no middle path for you?

The little star nodded, wanting to believe ?But the shadows? she said quietly

?The shadows are part of you and they will make you into the black hole if you listen to them. You must stop listening to them, you must fight them?

The little star looked at the shadows waiting in the darkness for the big star to leave and she felt very brave. She nodded her head ?Ok, I can do it? she said with a smile.

?It will take while? said the big star ?I am here if you want help, I will be watching you?

?Thank you? said the little star

?Good luck? said the big star and he went back to his home in the heavens.

A year later, a century later, or a whole turn of a galaxy later (it does not matter) a child was holding onto her mothers hand and looking up at the stars. She pointed up to the sky and she said

?What is that beautiful star called? It looks like it is dancing?

The mother smiled and said ?That is a new star and it shines brighter with every year?

?I would like to shine like that star? the little girl said.

The mother picked her child up and hugged her ?We are all stars and we can all shine as brightly as that star. We are all stars, you are a star?

?Am I?? asked the little girl

?Yes? said her mother

Up in the sky the little star, who was little no longer, saw the little girl and her mother and heard their words and shone specially brightly for the little girl.