The most glorious sky captured my eye while driving home after sunset last night.

The light and dark blue swirled and danced in a way

that reminded me of Van Gogh.

At the end of this life, I don’t want to be transported

to a magical reward for a well-lived life,

or a punishment either.

Neither speaks to my soul.

I want to merge with the timeless beauty that

feeds and sustains this galaxy.

The stunning sunsets, the noteworthy wind

on a hot summer day, the refreshing sand

beneath your feet, the ocean that renews all of life,

and the stars that—when we look up today, inspire us—

but were essential guides for sailors of yesteryear.

A world of wonderment and mystery.

I want to go on to a purposeful existence,

becoming one with all that nurtures and sustains life.

Maybe, one day, someone needing inspiration will look up to the evening sky and the great council of ancestors and elders will say, “Let’s shoot a star for this one.”

When Maya Angelou had to face a new challenge that required her courage and stepping beyond what was familiar, she would say, “I’m not going there alone, all you who’ve ever loved me, you’re coming with me. After all, nobody can make it out here alone, and we are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.”

In an unthinking world that simply follows along,

thank you for inspiring me.

May we each find our way,

May we find the stars that guide us

(however we may conceive of them and want to refer to them),

like our ancestors did so long ago.

May we recover ancient wisdom, timeless truths,

and our own inner knowing.

~