Have you ever looked up at a vast, velvety sky and felt both incredibly small and strangely brave? Galileo Galilei once said that he loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night, suggesting that wonder has the power to conquer all fear. To me, this means that when we train our hearts to seek out beauty, awe, and curiosity, the shadows of our anxieties begin to lose their grip. The dark parts of our lives, the unknown transitions, and the uncertain moments don't have to be terrifying if we are busy looking for the light that sparkles within them.

In our everyday lives, the night often represents the difficult seasons. It is the period of grief, the silence after a loss, or the overwhelming feeling of not knowing what comes next. It is so easy to let fear take up residence in those quiet, dark spaces. We tend to focus on the emptiness of the darkness rather than the brilliance of what is hidden within it. But what if we shifted our gaze? What if we decided that the beauty we have witnessed in our happiest moments was actually a compass, guiding us through the gloom?

I remember a time when I felt quite lost, much like a little duck drifting in a fog. Everything felt murky and uncertain, and the silence of the unknown felt heavy. I was so focused on the shadows that I forgot I had ever seen a sunrise. It wasn't until I forced myself to stop and look for the tiny, beautiful details—the way the light hit the dew on the grass or the rhythmic song of a distant bird—that the fear started to ebb away. I realized that the darkness was still there, but my capacity for wonder had grown larger than my fear.

We all have our own stars to hold onto. These are the memories of kindness, the triumphs of our spirit, and the breathtaking moments of connection that make life worth living. When you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by the 'night' in your life, try to lean into your curiosity. Ask yourself what wonders might be waiting to be discovered in this new, strange landscape. Let your appreciation for the light be your shield.

Tonight, or perhaps even right now, I invite you to take a moment to think about one beautiful thing you have witnessed. Let that single spark of wonder settle deep in your heart. Use it as an anchor, so that when the shadows grow long, you can look up and remember that the stars are always there, waiting to remind you that you are safe in the presence of wonder.