My Star

My Star

I stand on the top of a very tall mesa.
It is night time and so is very dark.
There is a cool wind that touches my face.
I cannot see below the mesa.
I cannot see the edge of the cliffs.

There is a lone star on the horizon…
   at least I think it is a star.
It is where I need to go.

I start to run toward it… faster and faster.
When I reach the edge of the cliff I jump and sail
   with incredible speed out and into the open air,
   almost like the point of a speeding rocket.
My heart rate increases and my adrenaline jumps.
I am flying toward the small pinpoint of light.

Behind me spreads out a huge plume of black…
   maybe smoke, maybe a cape.
There is part of me who feels this black cloud behind
   me is actually pushing me with incredible force.
It is fueling my flight.

I  then see other dimmer points of light
   and know that these must be the destinations of others.

As I continue on toward my star,
   I realize that the light I am pointed at is only there
   to maintain my trajectory,
   and that I am never meant to actually reach the star.

My star will never appear closer
   no matter how quickly I move toward it …

   and that is okay.


This is my journey.

Nate Long "Owl"
originally published 10/11/2015