A Crowded, Smiling Star
As a 7-year-old in Cyprus, I found the death of my fellow 7-year-old dog, Jumbo, incomprehensible. How could he just stop being? Desperate to be able to locate him, I decided that the brightest star closest to the moon would always be him. It’s been 30 years since; Three more dogs, two grandfathers and one uncle followed him, all inhabiting the brightest star closest to the moon. I still turn my head skyward and see them there, cramped on one tiny dot, my grandfathers and uncle smiling with their rosy-colored cheeks, each with a dog by his side, looking over me. — Valentini Stavrou
Most Importantly
I always struggled with my gender. Growing up near Orlando, Fla., I was constantly surrounded by boys. I wanted them to like me, but I also wanted to be like them. I spent my secondary education dating straight boys, leaving little room to confront the idea that I might not be a girl. If I was “other,” I would lose the male validation I so craved. Then, in the summer of 2024, I met Azriel. He’s transgender, into men, and, most importantly, into me. He gave me the courage to explore my gender, and now he proudly calls me his boyfriend. — Kayde Kirkner
On Friends, Giving
My friends gently sponged me down, careful to avoid my stitches. We’d met as camp counselors for children whose parents had cancer. Then, at 24, lymphoma found me. They raised funds, visited during chemotherapy, celebrated my birthday with soft, handmade blankets. Ashamed to be needy, I thanked them nonstop. “You aren’t a burden,” they reassured me. I got better. Yet I felt tainted. I feared I would lose them — to time, distance, other people. Unshakable, they held on and loved my brokenness until I embraced it. Now, they have husbands and children and, still, me. My family has only grown. — Madison Chapman
Willing a Positive Transformation
The struggle begins on an auspicious day: On the last day of Paryushan and the first day of Ganpati, my partner, Pratik, was suddenly laid off. Over the course of 32 days, he faced destabilizing unemployment, visa challenges and high-stakes interviews. Yet I watched him navigate it all with calm, courage and optimism. Through this period I fell even more in love with Pratik, and together we discovered how love, resilience and hope can transform uncertainty into growth. — Krusha Bhatia
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