3 Days I Saw The Stars

By: Sammy Wang

The first day I saw the stars was July 4th

I don’t remember what year it was, only that it was on July 4th

I only remember it on that day because of the bright fireworks exploding in the sky around me.

I didn’t like fireworks at all, even with their pretty visuals; I prefer my ears to be intact

As they lit up the sky, followed by the ear-deafening sounds-

My eyes could only focus on one thing

The stars.

The stars looked like specks of glitter sprinkled across the sky,

And the stars looked way more dazzling than any firework could ever be

The stars shined like diamonds that day.

The second day happened during spring break in 2023

My family planned to go to Universal Studios that night

A few hours into the road trip-

And a lot of turning and rolling around in my seat,

I decided to stare out the window.

There were trees surrounding the car, but yet again, something else caught my eye

The stars.

Thinking it would be a great conversation starter, I told my mom to look outside the window.

And with that, she told me about the different constellations in the stars

“The stars back home don’t shine as bright as they do here, so enjoy this view while you can,”

In my mind, I agreed with her

The rest of the night I spent looking out the window

The third time happened on this year’s July 4

I had volunteered to look at the kids in a summer camp with many other teens

I was also far from home, somewhere in Orlando.

That night, the volunteers and staff had gathered around for their own hang-out

I remember discussing different awards you get for the program before one of the staff said that it was time to return to the cabins.

As I leaned onto my friend, I looked up at the sky

There was a massive group of stars above us, and they stood out more than all my other encounters-

With the dark sky complimenting the stars, it felt like the stars were dancing.

The stars looked so bright but so delicate at the same time.

I remember being star-stocked, literally.

My friend was trying to point out the Big Dipper, but I couldn’t see it because all the other stars stood out just as much.

Even though I could go star-seeing any day, I don’t think the star back at home could replace the feelings I experienced during those three days.

The awe, excitement, and admiration I felt on those days could never be replaced with just looking at the stars normally ever again.