June 5, 2024 

Last week, I saw an actor twice in one day. It’s not unusual to see famous people in New York City. But, having seen a photo of him the day before, indicating that he was in the area, and walking past him more than once made me think about why we get starstruck. The word itself stood out for two reasons. Earlier in the week, I went to the Vanderbilt Museum to meet up with an old friend and her family. We happened to see a planetarium show there, titled Sunstruck. Oddly enough, Moonstruck was rewatched a few days before. For years, I’ve been reminded that the movie was filmed in the neighborhood and made a mental note to see it again someday. Most of the time, I put off doing things not knowing why except that it doesn’t feel right. Arriving at moments like this make it ever so clear. Waiting for things to line up reveals what bears weight and brings forth meaning. I’ll never know who spotted the first asterism or constellation. I can only imagine what it must have felt like, to notice patterns and know that they’re pointing you in the right direction. The North Star.