The night was cold and the breeze was chilly, yet the sky was clear. The absent moon allowed the stars their moment of glory and they filled the sky with brilliance. Sitting outside their campsite the elder looked towards the young boy who was gazing at the stars as if he was trying to find something hidden among them. After a brief cough the elder spoke addressing the young one, "do you know many of the stars you see in the sky right now have been dead for millions of years". Amazed and bewildered the young boy shifted his gaze from the stars to the elder and asked how is that possible? How can we see something that has ceased to exist?
The old man took a sip of tea and replied, "look son these stars were shining in a corner of the universe millions of years ago and their light has just reached us, travelling across vast expanses of space, a journey of millions of years to add another shining dot to the dark sky". The boy wanted to know more and was carefully listening so the old man continued, " They may have died, yet the light they gave to the universe makes this dark night shine, we may never know when they ceased to exist but today in this moment their light shines. Every night when you look up at the sky, take a moment to think and realize that those numerous stars, many of them dead for millions of years, still catch your attention and are a cause for your interest in the sky".
"My son! like these stars become a person who even when gone would continue to shine, their light illuminating lives. Become the person whose message and deeds would transcend time and continue to shine long after he is no more. Become the shining star that would hold the gaze of people without them realizing when you ceased to exist. Become the person who would illuminate dark nights with his contribution, and remember when we have many such persons, even the darkest of nights would be illuminated. People are mortal, granted a finite existence but our actions and the lived we touch can be infinite and immortal. And my son when i am long gone, i hope i am like this shining star that would keep shining in your dark nights, always assuring you of my presence with my flickering light from far far away".
