There was once a child who loved to wander and wonder. He had a sister, his constant companion. Together, they marveled at the beauty of the flowers, the height and blueness of the sky, the depth of the bright water, and the goodness of God who made the lovely world.
They often wondered if the flowers, water, and sky would be sorry if all the children on earth died. They believed they would, for buds are the children of flowers, playful streams are the children of water, and the tiny bright specks playing in the night sky must be the children of the stars. They would grieve for their playmates, the children of men.
One clear, shining star appeared before the others, near the church spire above the graves. They thought it larger and more beautiful. Every night, hand in hand at the window, they watched for it. Whoever saw it first would cry, "I see the star!" Often they cried out together. They grew so fond of it that before bed, they would bid it good-night, saying, "God bless the star!"
But while still very young, the sister grew weak and could no longer stand at the window. The child would look out sadly by himself, see the star, and turn to the pale face on the bed: "I see the star!" A smile would come, and a weak voice would say, "God bless my brother and the star!"
All too soon, the time came when the child looked out alone, with no face on the bed, and a new little grave among the others. He saw the star through his tears, its rays stretching long towards him.
These rays seemed to form a shining path from Earth to Heaven. That night, the child dreamed he saw a train of people led up that sparkling road by angels. The star opened, revealing a great world of light where more angels waited.
The waiting angels turned their beaming eyes upon the arrivals. Some stepped forward, embraced them tenderly, and walked with them down avenues of light. The child wept for joy in his sleep.
But many angels remained, including one he knew—his sister, her patient face now glorified and radiant. Her angel lingered near the star's entrance and asked the leader, "Is my brother come?"
The answer was "No." As she turned away, the child stretched out his arms and cried, "O, sister, I am here! Take me!" She turned her beaming eyes upon him, and it was night; the star shone into his room through his tears.
From then on, the child saw the star as his future home, feeling he belonged not just to Earth but to the star, because his sister's angel was there.
A baby brother was born but died in infancy. Again, the child dreamed of the open star, the angels, and the people. His sister's angel asked again, "Is my brother come?"
The leader said, "Not that one, but another." Seeing his brother's angel in her arms, the child cried, "O, sister, I am here! Take me!" She turned and smiled, and the star shone.
He grew into a young man, busy with his studies, when an old servant came: "Thy mother is no more. I bring her blessing." That night, he saw the star and the company again. His sister's angel asked, "Is my brother come?"
The leader said, "Thy mother!" A mighty cry of joy echoed through the star as mother and children reunited. The young man cried, "O, mother, sister, and brother, I am here! Take me!" They answered, "Not yet." The star shone.
He grew into a man with graying hair, sitting grief-stricken by the fire, tears on his face, when the star opened once more. His sister's angel asked, "Is my brother come?"
The leader said, "Nay, but his maiden daughter." The man saw his recently lost daughter, a celestial being with the other three. He said, "My daughter's head is on my sister's bosom, her arm around my mother's neck, and at her feet is the baby of old. I can bear the parting from her, God be praised!" The star shone.
Thus, the child became an old man, wrinkled, slow, and bent. One night, as he lay in bed with his children around, he cried out as long ago: "I see the star!"
They whispered, "He is dying."
He said, "I am. My age falls from me like a garment, and I move towards the star as a child. O, my Father, I thank Thee that it has so often opened to receive those dear ones who await me!"
And the star was shining, and it shines upon his grave.