Star Mother

"Star Mother" by Robert F. Young is a touching science fiction story that explores the complex emotions a mother faces when her son becomes an astronaut. Martha, filled with both pride and fear, watches Terry embark on a space mission, a journey that elevates him to the stars. She struggles with the past, remembering her son's childhood, and confronts the potential dangers of his current path. When disaster threatens Terry's mission, and his fate hangs in the balance, Martha finds a unique comfort, recognizing a new, profound beauty in the night sky now that her son is among the stars, forever connecting her love to the vastness of space. The story delicately intertwines the wonder of space exploration with the raw, heartfelt experience of a mother's enduring affection and sorrow.