Reach for the stars

A child sat before a learned mage seeking the answer to a recurrent dream. He dreamt of nighttime stars gliding before his outstretched fingertips teasing and tantalizing him with their very nearness.

He reached for their brilliant beauty, only to have
them turn to shooting stars, catapulting out of
reach into the dark night sky. They were quickly
replaced by others, and he became frantic, as he
feverishly attempted to grasp them, and make them his own.

The dream progressed, and he saw himself as a young man becoming a man in the prime of his
life, and still the stars danced before his fingertips,
taunting him.

Finally, he dreamt of himself as an old man, worn out and bitter, futilely closing his hands, and turning his back on the stars. He wept, as he thought of the years wasted chasing stars, and thought God was cruel for putting them so close,
only to yank them away before he could capture their priceless splendor.

When the child finished recounting his dream the mage contemplated for a moment, scratching his chin and pulling on his beard before replying,

"Son, the stars are placed in the heavens for everyone, they stretch into eternity. No one can possess them for themselves."

Unsatisfied, the child implored him for a better understanding of his dream, tearfully pleading for more answers. The mage squinted at the child, once again scratched his chin and tugged at his beard before replying,

"The stars represent your dreams, aspirations, and goals for the future."

Becoming impatient, the child blurted,

"But, if they're my hopes for the future, that means I'll never have any of them, they're always just out of reach and flying away before I get them."

The mage smiled indulgently, and replied,

"No, my son, your dream is telling you to always reach for the stars, to never give up your hopes, and aspirations, for if you do, you will become the bitter old man you saw, cursing God. For every
achievement, there is another before you. You must always set new goals, dream new dreams, and constantly seek to improve yourself. Whenever you think you possess the stars, that you have all the answers, you become close-minded and embittered to life. In your dream, you cannot possess the stars, instead they flash as fire in the heavens. This means that your triumphs become brilliant in the sky for all to see, not for you to selfishly squander."

Finally understanding, the child thanked the mage for his wisdom, and was never again taunted by nighttime stars always out of reach.