Constellation of Me
Do you believe that our names may carry destinies in some way?
I do.
Mine began as “星” — Star
It is my birth name.
When I was about to start first grade, my mom changed it to “妮” (Girl) after my teacher said my full name sounded like “to give the star away.”
She thought I should keep my stars to myself.
But my parents never stopped calling me “星星” — Stars.
Years later, when I took my first English class, my foreign teacher gave every student a random English name. Mine was Stella.
I went home, looked it up, and smiled - I was a star again.
Maybe that’s why this feels like the perfect way to describe me — a constellation.
A constellation of people, places, and quiet moments that make up my sky.
At the center — me.
Not the version rushing towards deadlines,
but the one who pauses to feel, to reflect, and to remember.
Around me drift four circles in harmony -
each with its own kind of gravity.
Family - My closest orbit.
I’m part of their stories.
They keep me grounded even when I’m dreaming.
Their light never fades. It only deepens.
Work - A constellation of stability and strength.
It carries daily challenges, yes,
but also the pride of building something meaningful with others who care.
Friends - The constellation of belonging.
The kind of true friend(s) who understand and support me, wherever I am in life.
Who see me clearly.
Who share laughter, honesty, and warmth - without needing explanations.
The Inner Circle - My most fragile sky.
Where a version of me, still becoming, emerges slowly,
still leaning and searching,
holding desires and longings before the feelings she has yet learned to name.
From this tender place grows Canopy Tales, the space that carries the voice that I can’t always say out loud.
Together, these circles form the constellation of me - not fixed, not perfect, but alive.
A sky still expanding.
A story still being written.