This stunning book caught me completely off guard in the library a few months back

And I have read it many many times since

A science fiction story, I thought

Ooooh William might like this

I opened it up at the library

Started to read

And soon found myself crying silent tears

I have tried to read this out loud to my children

And end up sobbing every time

And that is okay

Because they then ask me why I am crying

Which allows me to explain

Lights On Cotton Rock is about a little girl

Who longs to live among the stars

She makes friends with an alien

They have a very short time together

And then her alien friend disappears

The little girl keeps longing for her friend from the stars

She keeps returning to their special place

As she grows into a young woman and an older woman

She keeps going back

At long last her friend returns

And offers to take her away

She almost goes

Until thinking about her family on Earth

Realising that she cannot go and live among the stars

When so many here love her and need her

This really got to me

Ever since Tilda died

I have wondered if it would be better if I had gone with her

If even now I should follow her

And the reasons I am still here

Still carrying on carrying on

Is because of my little family

Because as much as I love and long for Tilda

Each and every day

I love my living children too much

To live among the stars

And that is what I want my children to know

That even at the hardest darkest times

I will always stay

I will always be here

Because they are here

And they love me and need me

Just as I love and need them

This is a very clever

Incredibly beautiful book

Showing that what we are looking for

Is almost always closer than we think