Have you ever found your eyes chasing starlight? Do you ever find your mind wandering, drifting off towards the heavens? Will you sometimes gaze and wonder at what’s out there in that great infinite beyond?

Dare to dream that deepest dream. Chase it to the depths of the deepest seas if you must. Never let it get away from you. Yes, sometimes the things that go on in this world get you down. I’ve just been down on the world lately. But it’s not the world itself; rather it’s the Society we trust in far too much that often holds us back.

The sad truth is that I’ve forgotten how to love so many things in the face of hating myself for such a long time. It all starts with seeking True North. And, as much as I hate to admit it, how we each get to True North is a lot different sometimes.

Many times, the pressures on us seem too astounding to bear them. But, instead of worrying what’s to come, we must live in the now. This moment is precious and we must take hold of it with all we have. After all, life is about the journey, not the destination.

As I write this, I’ve thought much about Rihanna’s song “Diamonds” recently. Diamonds are formed through a long and very difficult process. But the result is worth it if you see it through. Something so precious comes from great heat and pressure. While striving to be a fearless individual requires time spent in a pressure cooker of demands and expectations, the tribulations are worth the pain and exhaustion to come out shining in the end.

I could never come to appreciate my true self without all those trials I’ve experienced. Of course, these experiences involve a wide range of people: those we’ve loved, those who love us in return, those who love us no more, and even those that seemed to but never really did in the first place. My interactions, agreements, and disagreements with this wide range of individuals have all molded me into realizing a self-awareness I never thought was possible.

It’s clear at times we must diverge from the paths of others we love, as painful as it can be. But, we can’t hold regret in our hearts. We need to fill our hearts with Light and Love, and keep them burning true.

In our ever-darkening world, it’s easy to be against its evils. But it’s far better to instead be FOR the highest truths of Faith, Hope, and Love. The evils in our world, after all, are due to the lack of these precious virtues being recognized in many aspects of our world. Yes, we should face Evil head on, but not out of fear or hate. We must face them with resolve in the armor of Truth.

It took me reaching the end of my rope to realize all this. Now, it’s past due time for me to realize my true self. I feel my calling is to sing my own song through these words, loud enough that everyone who’s still stuck in their own private wilderness can hear.

To those of you reading this, thank you for blessing me with your attention. Know that my love goes out to all of you. But remember, you yourself are blessed, even if you don’t realize it yet. After all, we’re all made of stardust, and that’s why we often find ourselves chasing starlight.

Never turn your eyes away from what lies in front of you. Don’t forget to look up sometimes and remember we’re all little stars. You can change the world in ways that no one else can. You’ve been blessed with talents unique to you, knowledge and experience, and a narrative no one else can tell.

If you are well, count your blessings and be the best you that you can be. If you aren’t well, then do what you can to let the Light in. Remember, Love is always there, and it’s greater than all of us, and it exists in all things even if we can’t always see it. You can rise above where you are now, far, far above. Let’s chase the starlight together!

~ Amelia Desertsong