Touching A Star

I touched a star today. Literally! I touched a star and I didn’t even know it at first. I hadn’t expected to touch one today, and it didn’t feel the way I had always imagined holding a star in my hand would feel…but it was wonderful nonetheless. I remember as a child being in awe of the stars so far above me, and how even when I reached as high as I could I never got close enough to touch one. I dreamt of dancing with one, taking in the brilliance of it –of the warmth those faraway lights must hold-- and today I touched one, and I didn’t even know it. I found myself at an orphanage across from the Bible College here in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. 20 or so children were running around of all different ages. A few were still in diapers while some of the older ones were verging on their teenage years. Kids were tugging on hands and spinning in swings. Some were running after a ball, and others were preparing to feed and milk the four cows. All at once I had a little girl asking me for a piggy back ride. Of course I obliged and found myself not a pig, but a horse galloping down the length of the barn. I spun around and continued on in the other direction. Her giggle was all the added energy I needed to run along. At the end of the hall, I stopped and spun her around in front of me. As I held her in my arms I realized I didn’t even know what her name was. I asked her, “Como te llamas?” and she replied softly, “Estrella.” I looked at her face joyfully smiling at me, and I realized that her name means star. I was holding a star in my arms like I had always dreamed of, and it was better than all of my imaginings could have been. It was impossible to not take in the brilliance of this beautiful child, the warmth of her laugh and smile. I danced with a star today, and my dream came true.