The Answers Can Be Found In The Stars

We are all born with the potential of stars within us. There is an old Serbian word – Zvezdobrojac. Translated, this word means “Star counter.” This word was most commonly associated with gifted children, and the idea behind it is that these children could look upon the starry skies, and find the answers to life’s most challenging questions within the wide expanse of the universe. I find this idea rather beautiful. It takes away the burden of “inventing” something new and places the emphasis on just opening your eyes and discovering the answers which already exist all around us. What is needed is just to have a curious and open mind, to notice those things which most people miss.

But more than this, I find great comfort in this concept, as it also emphasizes the universal connection we all share. We are offspring of the stars and we all share the potential to see and to feel. If thought of in this way, humanity is merely a fellowship of star-children who seek to illuminate the shadows of knowledge. This need to look ahead and explore the mysteries of this world and to do it together is a deep-seated drive within all of us. After all, most literature is a way for humanity to share experiences and to connect with each other. The ancient Greeks worshiped a goddess called Hestia. Her job was to preside over the hearth and aid in familial connection through stories. The hearth was an important place where family members would meet around the fire and recount stories. More so than the flashy Gods of things like Beauty or War and Love, I believe the one presiding over stories has a more fundamental part to play in our search for meaning. Perhaps all meaning can be traced back to our need to make ourselves understood and to try to understand others. Perhaps stories too, are mechanisms of the stars, meant to shine a light through the darkness.

In his seminal work, “Migrations,” the author, Milos Crnjanski begins the story by writing about a dream the main character had. In this dream, he sees “an endless blue circle. In it a star.” He knows the journey ahead is a treacherous one, and yet this vision gives him hope that in the end, it will be alright – because the stars are his waypoint. The solace he finds in the endless expanse is enough for him to finally set out on the journey of his life. His journey begins and ends with the stars. If only all of us had the courage to hold on to such hope, perhaps this life would be slightly easier. And perhaps yet, it was never meant to be easy, just necessary.