I believe in looking at the stars

Sierra Robinson
·2 min read
Sierra Robinson
Sierra Robinson

I believe in looking at the stars. The night sky is an endless expanse of mystery and Earth is just a small fraction of it. My curiosity for the universe stems from when I was a child. I grew up in a city where the light pollution made it nearly impossible to truly see the stars — although, I still gazed out my bedroom window every night and settled for what I could see. When I was about 10 years old, I began watching documentaries about the universe and made sure I saw NASA’s new photo of the day. I wanted to know everything about the universe, and I dreamt that one day I would become an astronomer and see all the details that NASA could see.

I had a rough childhood growing up. My parents were not around, and I was forced to mature at a very young age due to my parents’ poor choices. I had to parent my own parents, and was too busy with my home life to make friends. I never fit in with anyone and found it hard to socialize. The night sky was my escape from everything. It was my source of comfort and peace.

Lying in a grassy field in the middle of nowhere where the darkness is heavy, under the grand night sky is the most therapeutic experience for me. My resilience shines through with each shooting star, and I love watching the constellations move across the sky. The stars have always given me the time to reflect and have been a strong and steady guide when needed. They have helped me realize how insignificant my stressors are and helped me know that I need to just live life instead of focusing on the things that are out of my control. The same night sky that was there when I was 10 years old will be there for me forever. The stars’ ability to shine reminds me that I can, too. They give me hope for all of my tomorrows when I stop to gaze at their awesome beauty. I think everyone should look at the stars and admire them. This I believe.

Sierra Robinson is a student at A-C Central High School.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: I believe in looking at the stars