The Wonder of a Star
Have you ever sat on a clear night and gazed up at the stars in wonder? Last night I woke up in the middle of the night and was having trouble getting back to sleep. After laying in bed for 20 minutes, I decided to get up and take a walk around the house, jot a few things down on “Things” a killer to-do list on the Mac. As I walked into the family room, a twinkle caught my eye outside through the glass sliding door. We live on a saltwater inlet, so just outside our back door is a beautiful view of the night sky over the water. Through the pines was one lone star twinkling as if to say “look at me and be amazed.” Stars amaze me because not one twinkles like the other. It also amazes me that the light we are seeing from a star has many times taken 10,000 years or more to reach us and the star may cease to exist. The reason being that the light from the star took so many years to get to us that the star burned out many years before.
For me gazing at the stars puts many things back into perspective because of the magnitude of the universe and the realization of what you’re actually gazing at. Standing on a planet that is spinning about 1,038 miles per hour on the equator or if you live in the U.S. and Europe the speed is around 700 to 900 mph. The earth is also hurtling through space at 67,000 miles an hour around the sun. When we look into the sky, we are looking into the endless vastness of space and some 9800 stars are visible to the naked eye at any one time.
I am reminded of the hope that the rhyme, “Star light, start bright, the first star I see tonight, wish I may, wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight” gives us. There is a magical thing that happens in our minds when we believe there is hope that someone or something cares about giving us a break of unprecedented magnitude. For many that hope that someone cares is what gets them through the cold winter nights, the time to the next hot meal, the pain of a medical condition, or even the death of a loved one. Some non profits even encourage our hope by touching us with plays, the arts, music and stories of hope found.
Though many have never had the wish granted they wished on a star, millions have been touched by the kindness of a non profit and its volunteers that cared about them. For many in need, with hurt, sorrow, or even requiring counseling to get through trauma, the people involved in a non profit cause became a star that granted their wish.
The people involved in non profit work and those who donate to it are stars that shine beautifully even in the darkest night. Rarely are they thanked, and many work in obscurity but the twinkle in their eye is far more brilliant than any star in the night sky. For many, their involvement starts with seeing a need that requires a solution For others, their passion stems from a need in their own life, and countless others the dream to be a part of a story that is bigger than themselves. Whatever the motivation, the results are the same- a light streaming from the darkness of time and space to bring hope to someone who needs it.
Just like the star that I was gazing at, many who are involved in nonprofit work are never recognized until their life has passed away. However, the light that their life shined on others continues long after they are gone, brightening lives and restoring hope.
While reading a book last week, it posed the scenario that in 100 years no one that remembers you would still be alive. Few will remember your name, what you did for a living, or even how much money you made. That is an interesting observation and while I have as many ancestors as you, how many of those ancestors left a lasting legacy? The majority of people that have lived life upon this earth have left without anything to show for their life other than a few memories they have left their children- some good, some bad. Unlike the star whose light continues to shine well after its gone, rarely do we find individuals who are willing to focus their lives or assets on legacy-building tasks.
Making a legacy-building difference in the world is a task which we should all be willing to engage in and teach our children to engage in. Just a few hours a week or even a month can make a memorable difference to the lives of people you touch. Anyone can leave a legacy; it simply takes the desire and willingness to care about others. Why not commit this year to begin to build a legacy for you and your family?
Here are some simple steps you can take to begin building your legacy:
- Volunteer with a non profit or ministry.
- Start a non profit of your own.
Starting and running a non profit does not have to be difficult; see
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