Look Up

The other day someone asked me why I had glow in the dark stars on the ceiling of my dance studio.

In the winter months it gets dark earlier. Sometimes, due to a storm or some other cause, we lose power. It doesn't happen very often, but when the bright studio is plunged suddenly into darkness it can cause panic.

Panicked kids can get hurt.

So I have the stars.

If the lights ever go out during class, I just say, "Look up."

They look up and see the ceiling full of glowing stars and they forget that it's dark. Every time, the stars have calmed my students- students of every age. It's not scary when you can look up and see the stars.

And maybe it doesn't even make logical sense. The stars aren't bright enough to light the studio. The kids are still in the same black room with the same question in their minds... Is the power going to go back on soon?

But I'm here to tell you that it does work. Every time. And I've been thinking about it since the question was posed.

Does your life feel like the power went out? Are you sitting in some form of darkness and you're not sure when it will ever get light again? Are you feeling your way around a big room hoping to figure out where the door is?

It's kind of a funny thing, but real life has stars. I don't care where in the world you live, if you look up in the middle of the blackest night, you'll see the stars.

Sometimes stars might be gratitude. Realizing all the things you do have. Stars might be your dreams, knowing you're not going to stay in the dark room forever. Stars can be prayer. Knowing that no matter what, you're never alone. Stars can be other people, sharing the moment with you so that being in the dark isn't as hard.

Look up. You'll see there are stars. And it won't be forever before the lights come back on.