Who is in Your Orbit?
Sometimes we think we're bringing home a piece of furniture when we're really bringing home a story. In this reflection from Tattered and Mended, an old desk becomes a reminder that the people we meet along the way often leave the most lasting marks on our lives.
I especially like that excerpt because it hints at the story without giving it away, inviting readers to click through and discover how a desk, a friendship, and a lifetime of connections became part of your constellation.
Friendship, Stories &
Unexpected Connections
“We Are All Made of Stars” was originally inspired by a desk that found its way into my home, and how a friendship found its way into my life.
Who is in your orbit? Who is part of your constellation?
Eighteen months ago, I wrote these words as part of Tattered and Mended. At the time, I was reflecting on a desk. Or at least, I thought I was.
Looking back now, I realize it was never really about the desk at all.
It was about connection.
It was about the curious way our lives intersect with people we might never have met otherwise. A conversation. A purchase. A shared story. A simple exchange that somehow grows into something much larger.
The desk came from a woman named Sherri.
Like many things that find their way into my studio, it arrived with a history already attached. Scratches from use. Evidence of a life lived. Marks left by hands I would never know. I brought it home because I could see possibility in it. I could imagine what it might become.
What I did not expect was that the desk would introduce me to a friend.
Sometimes life unfolds that way.
We think we are collecting objects when, in reality, we are collecting stories.
The older I get, the more I believe that none of us travel through life alone. Every person who crosses our path leaves something behind. A lesson. An idea. A memory. A piece of encouragement. Sometimes a wound. Sometimes a blessing. Often both.
I have met people because of a race track, a quilt, a candle, a piece of jewelry, a class, a blog post, or a simple "hello."
Many of those encounters lasted only a season.
Others became friendships.
A few became family of the heart.
Looking back across the years, I can trace my life through these connections. Like stars scattered across a dark sky, each one may seem separate on its own. Yet when viewed together, they form a constellation.
The pattern reveals itself only after enough time has passed.
When I met Brian, I could not have known how profoundly his life would shape mine.
When I lost him, I could not have known that grief would eventually lead me toward healing work.
When I enrolled in massage therapy school, I could not have known it would introduce me to sound healing, yoga, and a community of people seeking wellness.
When I met a kind gentleman who was living in Murphy, North Carolina, I could not have known that Jim would become the twine to my kite, helping me stay grounded while still encouraging me to fly.
When I bought a desk from Sherri, I certainly did not expect to gain a friendship.
And yet here we are.
Life has carried us both through new chapters since those early conversations. We don't see each other as often as I'd like, and we're long overdue for a visit. As it does for all of us, life has been busy unfolding… bringing joys, challenges, changes, and growth. But some connections have a way of enduring, even when time and distance stretch between visits.
And that friendship remains one of the unexpected gifts that desk brought into my life.
Every one of those moments felt ordinary at the time.
Most stars do.
A single star rarely captures our attention. It is only when we step back and look at the whole sky that we begin to see the pattern.
Perhaps that is why I love old things so much.
Old quilts.
Old photographs.
Old letters.
Old furniture.
Each one reminds me that everything and everyone carries a story.
The desk now serves a different purpose than it once did. Like so many things in my life, it has been repurposed, reimagined, and given a second chapter.
Maybe that is what we do, too.
We gather pieces from those who came before us. We carry forward the wisdom, kindness, creativity, and courage that others have shared with us. We add our own experiences to the mix. Then we pass something meaningful on to the next person who enters our orbit.
A friend.
A student.
A child.
A stranger.
A reader.
A fellow traveler.
The truth is, none of us shine alone.
We are illuminated by those who loved us, encouraged us, challenged us, taught us, and walked beside us. We are stitched together from countless encounters, conversations, and acts of grace. We are connected in ways we rarely recognize while they are happening. And perhaps that is why this story still resonates with me all these months later.
Because a desk became a friendship.
A purchase became a conversation.
A conversation became a connection.
And a connection became part of my constellation.
When I look up these days, I am reminded that the same elements that formed the stars are found within each of us.
Maybe that is why we are so drawn to one another.
Maybe we recognize something familiar.
Maybe we are all carrying little pieces of light.
Maybe we are all made of stars.
Who has become part of your constellation? I'd love to hear about the unexpected friendships, chance meetings, or ordinary moments that changed the direction of your life. Leave a comment below and share your story.