Dancing With the Stars

by Abbie Prewitt, Preschool Teaching Fellow

Hear from Preschool Fellow, Abbie Prewitt, on her outlook on life, the world, and its many mysteries.

At the risk of sounding too whimsical, I suppose you could say that I have always been inquisitive – curious about the way life works and who makes the rules. When I was younger, my questions were simple, like what made the primary colors, why do stars wink at me when I look at them, or even, who could like summer rain showers? But, now that I am older, my questions seem nearly overwhelming, and all seem to lead to the same final question: How do I make the world a better place?

I am not intending to dodge the question, but life seems considerably more ambiguous than ever before, so I have become more philosophical. So here is a question: can I still find comfort in the stars when everything is so small, yet so infinite at the same time? How can I become someone different when the world moves too fast that it threatens to outpace my own development? Who do I owe my life to?

When my little sister, Ainsley, was born, she made the world magical again. When I see my little sister – all that she is and all that she could be – I see endless possibilities. She taught me to be excited about every day and that things are always ok after watching Beauty and the Beast. She taught me everything good happens on Thursday and friendship bracelets are the way to a person’s heart. There isn’t a bad feeling that her smile or her laugh couldn’t cure, there isn’t a sad friend that wouldn’t be comforted by her snuggles, and there isn’t a day that won’t be treasured by her.

When she attended her first funeral at the age of four, she asked me: “Abbie, how can Bambi’s body be in that box and in heaven?” Aw biscuits! How do I explain the concept of a soul to a four-year-old, or even harder, admit to her that I don’t actually know? My parents jumped in and answered the question, but it didn’t feel like enough. So, a little while later, I projected the Milky Way onto my bedroom walls and invited her in to dance with me. We – along with Bambi and our Uncle – laughed and danced among the stars for hours. If it’s possible, heaven and earth collided that night, and for a moment, everything was beautiful.

As the world continues to reveal itself to me, I remind myself of the things of which I am certain: the healing power of classic rock, the comforting sight of a cardinal, and, of course, the fact that my best friend will always answer the phone. I will always make wishes on fallen eyelashes and never double-knot my shoes. I believe in love at first sight and still think that there are pots of gold at the end of rainbows. So while the world might be full of unanswered questions, I am grounded by the people who are constant and by the possibility of magic when I am with my sister, dancing among the stars.