Stargazing and Soul Searching

Cooper liked gazing at the stars that shined brightly tonight. He shivered slightly, "Good, it's not another dream". And then he saw it, a shooting star falling from the heavens. He laughed at himself as he made his wish. "Why had he said everything that he had to Jason the way that he did?" He often wondered on choices after the fact. At least it felt like he did. As sometimes happened, it had felt like the right thing to do, but now he wasn't even sure why he'd done it. "I can't do this anymore, I did it because I thought You wanted me to!", Cooper yelled. He was answered by the sound of silence, yet underlying the silence was the sound of life itself. "I know that you can hear me God. Please Father, will you help me?"


He thought about calling...he wanted so badly to try to explain everything. And yet, deep down, he knew that Jason would just read into everything he said. Worse yet, he might refuse to listen to any attempt to share the truth again. "He'd fake it really well though" he said to himself. He'd also upset Sarah, but Jason was the one truly overreacting. Cooper just didn't know how to handle himself these days. "Maybe I should go bother a shark or snake this time..." Cooper smiled to himself, "There's got to be a verse that would condone doing something like that at some point...." He looked around him, nothing, nothing at all. Nothing but the night sky.


But he couldn't shake the feeling that God was here. "Look, unless you're intending on helping me, why stick around?". He instantly regretted those words. "Wait! I didn't mean it, I'm just tired. I feel like my whole life is about making mistakes to learn from. And as much as it's great to learn...I'm tired, I'm hurting, I'm ready for life to make sense. You're the love of my life, and those words I spoke a moment ago are as far from the truth as it gets." He looked up through the canopy, "Am I making any sense at all?". He started smiling, that sounded like the lyrics by Mark Schultz..."Am I getting through tonight?"


Then it happened. She was there. "But who on earth is she?!?!?" His jaw dropped in astonishment. An old lady, dressed like an eccentric tramp, completely bundled up in wet clothes. "Hello Dearie", she said. "It can be hard to speak to strangers sometimes anyway...but witches that apparate? He thought." She laughed with a voice that brought a quiet peace with it. "I'm definitely not a witch, Cooper. I'm a star. That's what you wished for right?" She asked.

Cooper just shook his head, he was still trying to make this make sense. "No, I wished for God to direct my path. I'm tired of my head, heart, and soul all voting on separate paths for my life." The woman laughed quietly again. "Oh Cooper, most people would take a talking star as very direct response from their Lord. Why can't you?" He just shook his head at her, "Who are you really?"

The light in her eyes started to dance, as if she was thoroughly enjoying herself. "Remember reading the book A Wrinkle in Time?" Cooper nodded. "I'm Mrs. Whatsit, or close enough anyway!" She started to radiate a brilliant and dazzling light. That's when he believed. And then it stopped as quickly as it had begun. "I'm glad you've come to see the light Cooper", she beamed with her pun.

"Go ahead Cooper, I know you have a lot on your mind." He gazed back up at the night sky. "So the movies like Stardust...", but before he could finish she shook her head. "Not quite, just remember that with God all things are possible...including things that aren't of this world." He nodded, "I wasn't trying to question anything, so much as I wanted to know what direction I'm to take in my life."

Mrs. Whatsit just laid her hand on his shoulder understandingly. Suddenly there was a great burst of light through the Darkness. The light spread out and where it touched the Darkness the Darkness disappeared. The light spread until the darkness had vanished, and there was only a gentle shining, and through the shining came the stars, clear and pure. "You want to know who you are. But already do. You seek to know what the right choice is, but both heart and head can lie. Jesus gave a wonderful promise to His disciples. He said, 'But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.'

Cooper, we've battled darkness since before man existed, and will continue to. You know that's your fascination with the "heavens" don't you. Deep down you desire to fight the darkness as persistently as the stars themselves. But don't forget to do so with God's strength and grace. For when you grow bitter, or let hurt prevent you from doing the right thing...the darkness is in control. When God has you where He wants in you life, you'll be at peace. So the question that this old star has for you my son is...are you at peace with everything in life that God has thrown your way?"

He sat with eyes closed taking in what she had said. Then with a grin flashing across his face, he nodded. "Even the things that you were letting weigh on you when you wished for His counsel?" asked Mrs. Whatsit. Cooper responded with the conviction that he'd been searching for, "Even should everything that doesn't make sense never be resolved, even if all the good in my life becomes bad, even if I never talk to a star again, I am content with my lot. I will fight the good fight. I will light up the darkness."

As he finished speaking, he realized that he was alone again. He was once again gazing up at the stars in the night sky. However, this time he understood what he was truly gazing upon.