Stars

Ever get lonesome sometimes? Maybe you do. Most times it’ll pass in a couple of hours. Other times it won’t. Folks get an emptiness inside that makes them feel helpless in a world where nobody cares, and that’s when loneliness really bites, ‘cause it’s a sorrowful thing to feel alone in the world, especially at night. Maybe you feel that way sometimes. Well, sit a spell and listen good, and I’ll tell you a little secret.

Course you might wonder what a lean mean rooting tooting fella like me knows about loneliness. Everyone knows I’m happy to roll along and take life’s big peaks and little peaks in my stride, but it wasn’t always so.

Once upon a long time ago a little boy was sitting on a porch. Just six years old, he was alone in the dark. He’d been whupped again and though his tears had dried, he carried a heavy heart. He wasn’t a bad kid, but in a house where praise and affection were unknown, his Pa’s fearsome temper left his Mama with little say in the upbringing of their son. It wasn’t the first time the boy had cried alone, only this night things were different. His Aunt Mabel was staying over.

‘Levitt?’

Aunt Mabel knelt and put an arm around the little boy, with a warmth and kindness that sent tears rolling down the boy’s cheeks. Then she took him into her arms and hugged him real close.

‘Levitt, please don’t cry. I know it’s hard for you to understand, but your Pa loves you, I know he does. He just doesn’t know how to show it. And your Mama loves you. She loves you so much and so do I. We all love you, Levitt.’
 
Then Aunt Mabel told the boy something he’d remember for the rest of his life.

‘Look at the stars, Levitt. See the stars? The stars always know when somebody's watching. One of them is yours and it’s looking at you right now. And when your star sees you looking up at the sky, it’ll puff out its chest and in a squeaky little starry voice it’ll shout to all the others. 'Look at me! I’m Levitt's star and he's watching me right now.’ And because your star is so happy, it’ll shine brighter still. Can you see it Levitt? Can you see a star that shines more brightly than the others?’

The boy squinted up his eyes and stared, real hard, at the sky. Sure enough, one star shone brighter than the rest.

‘Wherever you go and whatever you do, remember your star is watching and you’ll never be alone. And if ever you’re sad and blue, your star will be too, and you wouldn’t want that now, would you? Now dry your eyes and put your face straight. I’ll fix you some supper.’

Well, the little boy grew up to be a lean mean rooting tooting fella. No matter where he went, or whatever he did, he never felt lonesome again. Even on the most cloudiest night he knew his star was up there somewhere, and that was enough. So next time you're feeling low just look to the sky, and look for the star that shines brighter than any other. It’ll be yours.