27Late at night, I sat outside and held little Akash, cuddled in her blankets. Her head rested safely on my chest. Her eyes looked into mine and I wondered about an infant’s mysterious thoughts.
I was mesmerized by the miracle of birth and the mystery of death. I had learned that the earth was born from an exploding supernova, the death of a massive blue sun and the birth of our universe, all in the same cosmic moment.
Looking up at the sky, I immediately recognized the shimmering blue Sirius – actually two stars side by side, appearing as one. I saw Betelgeuse, the golden super giant, two-hundred-million times larger than our sun. Even with my naked eye, I could see it sparkle, as if it was breathing, as if it was alive.
As little Akash fell asleep in my arms, I watched the dazzling st
