Starlight on the Water

Posted by Summer M

April 10, 2008 |

When I was a child, maybe twelve years old, my family vacationed in the Rocky Mountains for one whole glorious week. The scent of woodsmoke, an old coffee percolater, and campfire potatoes woke us every morning. The muted buzzing of insects on the creek and rippling waters lulled us to sleep every night. There are many memories from that vacation, images mostly, but the one that haunts me now is that of starlight on the water.

Have you ever had the privilege of seeing starlight reflected on a clear mountain brook? It falls down, soft as dandelion seeds, until it finds the swirling eddies dancing along the smooth pebbles that line the banks. It is a world of shadows and sudden flashes of silver, glimpses of mysteries just beneath the surface. All of these are highlighted and beautifully confused by the starlight on the water. As the light follows the currents into the deeper waters of a beaver pond, it solidifies and takes on a personality of its own. It begins to chase its own reflection, reveling in the newfound depth that so gladly mirrors its brilliance.

What fascinates me so about this convergence of light and depth? What is it about starlight on water? I think that, in this all, I see a promise. The starlight is a ethereal and infinitely frail thing streaming in from the darkest depths of night, persisting where all other light fails and falls short. The distorted depths of a cool mountain stream are breathtaking in their ability to twist the light and play with all its facets, like a master jeweler. But together? They promise that there isn’t just a world of beauty out there to discover. They promise that it is here and now. There isn’t only mindless beauty of faerie sprites or the deeper wisdom of timeless waters. There is something that is both. Body and mind, heart and soul, brain and braun, vulnerability and strength. Almost as if God moves on the water.

Not many things recapture that same feeling of fear and awe and greater purpose that I had that summer evening and, now that I’m older, I treasure these times all the more. Yesterday, something happened that reminded me, once again, of starlight on the water. Honored Friend gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl with starlight in her eyes. Out of respect for Honored Friend’s privacy, that is the only detail I will share but I hope you all understand why, for the purposes of Mommy Babble, this child will be known as Stella.

Welcome to the world, little Stella. You were born to be a light shining in the darkness. May you live, clear and strong, and be a blessing to all those around you. You were born, dearheart, to do great things.

Comments

6 Comments so far

Kristina on April 10, 2008 11:49 pm
You captured it well. Babies are a light in the darkenss. Full of infinite possibilities. so delicate and yet so strong. Their birth changes everything.
Wayne L. Christensen on April 11, 2008 12:46 am
I’ve lived amongst and near the Rocky Mountains nearly all my life, so I know the beauty that exists there.

I loved your story.
Wayne L. Christensen on April 11, 2008 12:49 am
Not sure my last message went through because it asked for spam script twice, but I loved your story. I grew up in the northwest area of the Rocky Mountain range, so know what beauty exists there. Great job!
Jill on April 15, 2008 8:43 pm
I can almost visualize it. Great attention to detail, and great analogy.
Sarah on April 24, 2008 9:02 pm
I loved it! It takes me away for a brief but very wonderful moment in time. I think we all forget sometimes what it is like to be a child free in spirit. It good to breathe and reminice(sp) once in a while. Thank you commander mommy.
Paul on May 2, 2008 8:43 am
Oh, wow, I LOVED that!!

Thank you very much!