Connections Archive

Brad Watson
Opinion

Last night, something happened and it was amazing. One minute you were walking along, hand-in-hand with your "lover," and gazing up into a sky filled with stars. In the cool of the night your partner's warmth was reassuring and for several minutes you stood close, captivated by the glittering beauty above.

When one of the stars fell at your feet, you thought you were dreaming. It lay motionless, nestled in the thick, dewy grass.

"How can this be?" you whispered. "What does this mean? It settled so softly and look how it glows."

"Maybe it's a shooting star," your friend said. "We should leave it alone. It could be dangerous."

The star shone reassuringly. Mesmerised, you reached down, cupped it gently in your hands and gasped as its energy coursed up your arms. It was full of promise and mystery and suddenly you knew.

"It's a wishing star," the child within you cried. "When I was little, I dreamed of this. I knew it wasn't just a fairytale."

The star shone even more brightly then. Your lips moved and you began. It was only last night and it was amazing.

This morning, I asked myself a question, "Brad, what would you do with a wishing star that came from afar and fell at your feet?"  Not surprisingly, my first thoughts were of me. Visions of a perfect life filled my mind until I remembered the little boy in Africa who had died from lack of medication and whose eyes I had closed for the last time. I thought of Dominique and her dying wish that she share a small piece of cake with her refugee brothers and sisters. I felt again the stumpy fingers of a grinning leper as he welcomed me into church. The answer became simple then. I would wish for God to come again to end suffering. And if it were not possible, I would wish for courage to make a difference. I would wish for the same courage that takes Avondale College students to Cambodia, the Philippines, Mozambique and Tanzania.

What if a wishing star fell for you? What if the star's name was Jesus?

Brad Watson lectures in international development studies at Avondale College.