The Stars I See

When I was young, the night felt endless, Every light had a name to find. I traced forever with careless fingers, Certain every answer lived somewhere beyond my eyes. The silence wasn't empty back then— It held a thousand things I'd never known. I never feared the weight of wondering; I just believed the sky would lead me home. Back then, I counted stars. But now, I count the years. Funny how the sky stayed still As my travels led me here. Life arrived without announcing, One small choice at a time. The days grew louder than the heavens, And I forgot to look beyond the dashboard lines. I read the maps that others handed me, North became whatever paid the bills. I kept collecting all the right answers, While somewhere deep inside, the questions stood still. Tonight the air feels like it used to. The world is quiet enough to hear. I look above, and nothing's different... Except the eyes that brought me here. Maybe those lights were never pointing. Maybe they never meant to lead. Maybe they simply kept on shining Until I learned to see. The stars I see Are not the ones I knew. They've been waiting in the same old sky; I'm the one who's changed the view. Every road, Every love, Every loss I couldn't outrun, Every dream that slipped away Became another point of light. Maybe life was never hidden Somewhere far beyond my reach. Maybe meaning hides In all the lines We're brave enough to draw between. I used to ask the night To tell me who I'd be. Now I simply look up... And wonder What the stars See in me.