The Big Dipper and Me

Such beautiful clear evenings the past few nights have got me thinking of my mom. My mother had so many cool things about her personality. One was telling stories she made up and reciting poetry from memory. Another was a deep appreciation of the natural world. One night, when I was a little girl, she combined her talent for storytelling and her love of nature as our whole family was returning home from the city shopping. Everyone was hustling in the house with grocery bags and shouts of who was going to get to the bathroom first! My mom stopped me as I was heading in and she pointed to the beautiful night sky. She showed me the big dipper and how to use it to find the little dipper. Then she turned my attention back to the big dipper and said this: “Julie, someday, our family will change. You will all grow up and move away. Someday, your dad and I will be gone. But whenever you look up a the beautiful night sky, find the big dipper—and remember how we were in this very moment. Together and happy! Remember each day is a gift from God. And that your family is the greatest gift he gives us. Find the big dipper and look at each star that makes it’s image”.
Then she named each star from the tip of the handle to the bottom of the cup after each one of us; My Dad at the start of the handle and each of us in order, according to our age. She pointed out that in order, my star was the brightest, Alioth! And because of that, it was my job to keep that memory alive. My family has grown, mom and dad are gone, and we are scattered about with kids of our own. but our love grows and extends to cousins and aunts and uncles where ever they are from the tip of Alaska to California, to the east coast.
Every time I see the stars that make up the constellation under the Great Bear, Ursa Major, I look for the Big Dipper, and think of my mama and me, sitting out under the stars,--my dad and siblings inside our home, warm and cozy…and I thank God for the gift of family.