The night sky is a quiet gift. It is filled with stars and moonlight, and it settles over us like a silk blanket as we sleep. We are often too busy to notice how beautiful the night sky is. However, when the clouds give us permission, we are granted the view of great glowing suns that, through distance, have hidden themselves by appearing as tiny, twinkling stars. These stars can be many things. They can be beacons of hope or even sources of light. Our ancestors, however, have chosen to give them the form of paintings. We call these paintings made of stars, constellations.
When we look up at the night sky and see twinkling stars, they seem to be arranged haphazardly. Every star is a stranger. Yet, somehow, those who lived in the past have learned to make sense of these arrangements and find shapes and stories in them. Where we see scattered stars, they saw lions, hunters, fishes and monsters. They then used those images as maps to guide them through their journeys. To this day, we find constellations useful both in science and astrology.
So, what is it that we can learn from the ancient art of making paintings from stars?
The answer lies in our own ability to imagine. Our ability to look up at a clump of stars and see them transform into mythical creatures relates to the very quality of being human. We are human because we can imagine, and because we can imagine, we also have the ability to dream.
As human beings, we have the unique ability to see the world not only as it is, but as it is capable of being. When we see a tree stump, we can imagine a small green shoot sprouting from amongst the dead wood. When we see a sick animal, we can imagine it thriving and being healthy again.
When we see ourselves in the mirror, we can imagine the amazing people we will grow to become.
As young people, having passion and skill is important. During the process of growth, we have a responsibility to grasp at every opportunity and to absorb every bit of knowledge.
Yet, there is another important part of growth that often fades when we grow older – this is our ability to imagine.
Albert Einstein once said, “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.” When we nourish our minds using our imaginations, we motivate ourselves to work towards becoming versions of ourselves who are living our dreams. So, the next time you see a cloud and notice that it looks like a turtle, or the next time you see a puddle and imagine that it is a rabbit, remind yourself of how lucky you are to have that ability. For with the same power that stars become paintings in the night sky, we can become people who dream, thrive, and fly.
