It was launch day for seven brave people about to cruise up to outer space in the journey for new discoveries. I stood there holding my daughter in hand and hugging my beautiful wife, saying goodbye, and that I will return soon. After all the sad goodbye emotions passed, I stepped into the shuttle and began my before take-off checklist. All systems go and the countdown began. 10, seatbelts fastened, 9, helmets secured, 8, battery controls on, 7, shuttle release armed, 6, flight controls freed, 5, ignition ready, 4, check engine gauges, 3, grab family pictures, 2, hold them tight, 1, engines fired!

The shuttled jerked and up we went cruising threw the clouds and the wonderful blue sky. Within ten minutes we were orbiting 190 miles above the surface of the earth. Once the orbiter was set on its flight path, and all systems were in check for a safe mission, work began. We went about collecting various particles that roomed around in the big black universe. Each piece seemed to tell its own story, the millions of miles it traveled, the many years it had been floating, or the many sites it encountered. At one point I decided to go out a little farther from the shuttle then all the others. It was cold, and I felt very alone, until I caught a glimpse of light floating out to my right side. I quickly recognized that I was starring at a star. I felt completely consumed, because how may people get to be within 10 feet of a raging ball of light. From my jacket pocket I pulled out a big glass jar and opened the lid. I began to move closer and closer to the star until it floated right into my glass jar. I quickly shut the lid, hoping that it would not escape from my grasp. The star began to change colors rapidly. Could it be upset? All I knew was that I had a marvelous object with me, and I didn’t want the others to know about it. I put it back in my pocket and moved back to the shuttle.

Three days later, the mission was complete and we began to enter the earth’s atmosphere. As we approached the runway, I noticed the clock on the side of the runway counting down until we touched back on this beautiful planet. Once parked, I saw my baby girl running towards the shuttle waiting for my arrival. I stepped off and held her so tight, it felt like I hadn’t seen her in ages. I hugged and kissed my wife and they helped me with my stuff back to the car. After the end of mission wrap up, we drove home. Because we arrived closer to dark, I brought my daughter to bed and tucked her in for a good nights sleep. Once she was completely lights out, I reached in my briefcase and pulled out the jar that carried the star in it. I placed the glowing jar on her nightstand and stood for a minute, gazing in amazement as it lit up the whole room. Just as I was about to leave her room, the star seemed to smile at me, saying a job well done.