Stars on the ceiling of Mi Tierra Cafe in San Antonio
I keep seeing stars. They’re everywhere in Dallas — on flags, ceilings, floors, doorknobs and door hinges.
But good luck finding one in the sky.
Now, I’m sure Dallas does have stars, but I didn’t see any tonight. While sitting on the stairs outside the house I’m staying in, I looked up and saw a black canvas painted across a starless city sky. I wanted to see a sky of glow-in-the-dark treasures, wanted to look up and gaze at them from my stoop. But blackness alone stared back at me.
Amidst all the glitz and glamour of cities, where movie stars come out to play, the most beautiful stars of all seep into secrecy. The city lights disguise them, and all you’re left with are the lights from an airplane, a skyscraper or a blinding billboard.
I suppose the lone, imitation stars I see in Dallas will have to do for now. In the meantime, I’ll keep gazing and hoping for a real star.
Mallary is a mom of two young kiddos -- Madelyn and Tucker.
Mallary absolutely loves being a mom and often writes about the need to find harmony when juggling motherhood and work.
Mallary is the Assistant Director of the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas at the University of Texas at Austin, where she manages the Center's various programs related to distance learning, freedom of expression, and digital journalism.
Previously, she was Executive Director of Images & Voices of Hope and Managing Editor of The Poynter Institute’s media news site, Poynter.org.
Mallary grew up outside of Boston and graduated from Providence College in Rhode Island. In 2015, she received a certificate in nonprofit management from Duke University.
She now lives in beautiful Austin, Texas, with her kids, husband Troy and cat Clara. She's working on a memoir, slowly but surely. You can reach her at mjtenore@gmail.com.
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