Dear Reader,
In 2017, researchers at Caltech observed a phenomenon in the night sky that was previously only theoretical. An extremely luminous radio wave occurred that shone so brightly, it was identified as the brightest radio transient that has ever been assigned to a supernova. The rarity came not in the brilliance of the supernova, but what triggered the premature death of this star - an already existing black hole that had been closely orbiting it. The black hole gradually siphoned away the atmosphere of this star, pulling it closer and closer until, in a matter of a few seconds, the star began to collapse.
Over a decade ago, I too began to collapse as a result of encountering the chapter of my life known as The Black Hole. Sometimes others are so void of life, the only thing they can gravitate to is destruction. I too was a twinkling star etching my place in astronomical history until the very space around me, the very breath in my lungs, was siphoned slowly away by trauma. As you read the first half of this book, you will encounter this trauma and its many forms. You will encounter the things that were meant to erase me from the night sky.
Like the incredibly rare phenomenon observed in 2017, this black hole in my life caused the next chapter - The Supernova. In the collapse of everything I was, came the brilliance of everything that I am now and will continue to be. I chose to become an explosion of courage, of fight, of healing. I chose from that point on to shine so brightly no one could ever dull my sparkle again. We all have things in life that are meant to break us, some astronomically so. It is what we choose to do in these moments of collapse that define the constellations we will chart in history. No matter the unexpected obstacles you face, stay determined to shine brighter every time.
Love always,
Amber Sparks