A long, long time ago, there was a little star floating in space. This was no ordinary star—it shimmered a unique shade of yellow and burned brighter than most. But more than anything, the little star was curious.
One day, it asked his neighbor stars, "Oh fellow stars, where do we come from?" The stars gave no replies for they didn't know the answer to the question. But something did answer. It was not the stars, but a slow and deep voice from within.
"I can tell you where you come from," said the voice.
"Who is speaking," asked the little star.
"I am the Universe," the voice said.
“What are you then, Universe?” the little star asked.
“I am you, I am me—I am everything that is and ever will be.”
“You must know where I come from then,” the star asked.
“You, little star, like everything else… come from the beginning of Everything. I don't really know what happened or how it happened, but have an idea. I can tell you about it if you wish.”
The little star blinked. “I do. But how do you not know how it happened? Don’t you know everything?”
The Universe chuckled. “There are some things not even I can fully understand. Not everything has an explanation. Some things… just are. And that’s okay.”
It paused for a moment, then continued.
“Ah yes—the beginning of Everything. The day I was born. At first, there was nothing. Truly nothing. Except for me and endless possibilities. I was one tiny point in the emptiness. But inside, I was the opposite. I was full. Full of everything. It was like a seed packed tighter than anything you can imagine- so small, I was smaller than you can imagine, but inside me was a whole forest, waiting."
"I don't know who put the seed there, and no one will ever know. I looked perfect from the outside, but inside it was full of turmoil and energy waiting to be released. The seed stayed there, waiting... for longer than long, for what seemed like an eternity. But at some point, as everything is bound to happen, the seed had to sprout. Something did happened and it happened in a Big BAG!"
“It was a great burst of energy that sent everything flying outward in pure chaos. That was when I was born. Everything was moving too fast, too wild. So I breathed deeply, and sought balance. It was like a playground where everyone started running and shouting at once. I rang the bell, and slowly, everyone found their place in the game again. I divided myself into galaxies—each one a part of me—so we could work together to keep the whole in harmony.”
“Each galaxy did the same: creating stars, planets, black holes, and moons. It was like handing out paints and paper to a room full of artists. Each one created their own picture—some full of light, some with deep shadows, and all of them unique. And even the tiniest particles you can’t even see—all of them seeking balance in their own way until everything was in balance.”
“And that, little star, is where you come from.”
The little star was amazed. It finally understood how it fit into the universe. The little star was quiet for a moment, taking in everything the Universe had said. But the little star was curious, so it had more questions for Universe.
“Universe,” it asked after a while, “I’m not perfectly balanced. The galaxy isn’t either. How do you stay balanced?”
The Universe smiled gently.
“Nothing and no one can ever be perfect. Not me, not galaxies, not stars, not you. All we can do is to try our best, and that is enough. It will always be enough. Balance isn’t something we achieve once—it’s something we keep reaching for, again and again and again. Together.”
But the little star had even more questions.
“Sometimes… it feels like all the other stars are the same. Why do I feel so different?”
The Universe let out a soft laugh.
“Because you are different. Each star may shine, but no two do it in quite the same way. Even if you look alike, each of you brings something no one else can. That is your gift.”
The little star took a slow breath, its glow pulsing gently.
“Then… what will become of me? What will my future be?”
The Universe grew still, as if listening to time itself.
“The past is passed and is behind us. The future is unknown and is not yet born. There is only one moment and it is now. And now. And now. Like a heartbeat. For ever renewed, and impossible to grasp before another one comes. I cannot tell you what will become of you. No one can. But how you shine today—that is in your hands. You will continue to work toward balance, that is the only thing I know.”
A silence passed between them, vast and shimmering.
Then, in a quieter voice, the little star asked,
“Will I die?”
The Universe did not answer right away. Then, with kindness, it said,
“Yes, you will. But in that dying, you will be transformed. You may become light, or dust, or the heart of something new. You will return to the whole, and it will be beautiful. Nothing truly ends—things can only change. Even I, one day, I will die, and I will change. I don't know what will become of me, but I know it will be beautiful so I do not worry, and you shouldn't either.”
The little star turned, carrying the weight and warmth of the Universe’s words. It began to drift away, still full of questions, but now also full of wonder.
“Wait,” called the Universe softly. “Before you go… may I know your name?”
The little star turned back, and it was now its time to smile.
“They call me the Sun.”
As the little star drifted back into the vastness, its light a little warmer than before, it whispered,
“I still have so many questions.”
And the Universe, still smiling, replied, “Good. That means you’re still shining.”