My bedtime routine in Molokai is the same every night, I lie under the stars and fight to keep my eyes open to drink in one more ounce of their beauty.

Such a calm comes over me as I peer into the profound depth of the night sky.

It is as if the act of looking at the stars makes me one of them. The vastness doesn't dwarf me; instead, it weaves threads of connection, stitching me into the cosmic tapestry.

I am suddenly a part of a constellation.

It’s the dark spaces between the pricks of light that draw me in.

I know it is an illusion; there are billions of stars in those soft ink-black velvet spaces. They are there, not seen by my naked eye, but critical in my being able to trace out the astrological shapes in the sky. It is clear that here it is not about being the brightest, it is about being in formation with the other stars.

This night sky whispers to me: "Be yourself, neither more nor less” and I revel in the permission to simply be. To play my role, to be witnessed by some, and to exist in the shadows for others. It's a freedom from the relentless pursuit of solitary brilliance. From school onwards it has been the same message - push to be the best, the first, the brightest. But here there is a different message, that it is the consistency of my presence that contributes to the cosmic masterpiece.

Showing up creates constellations.

Together we create magic.

In the constellation's grand design, I know my role – to shine in the way that only I uniquely can and authentically express who I am. Without me, a constellation is incomplete; the little dipper would have a hole in it if all the stars didn’t light up, it would appear as one solid blinding line if they were all equally as bright. But just as equally it would tip over, unbalanced if one star outshone the others.

This starlit sky gifts me a profound sense of belonging. Here at home, cloud barriers, the noon sun, and light pollution can prevent me from seeing it, but not from experiencing it.

I have a place in the world. It is as if the act of looking at the stars has made me one of them. I am a part of a constellation. And with that, I am cradled in a profound sense of belonging.

Happy Holidays.

May we create a constellation of peace 💫✨