Stars Fell on Alabama

Have you ever witnessed a falling star? It’s a beautiful thing. And so amazing as it happens at just the moment you are looking up and in just the right place of the finite area in the vast expanse of the night sky.

By simple definition, a falling star is a meteor that enters the Earth’s atmosphere at high speed and then burns up. Meteors look like a passing streak of light; bigger ones look like fireballs. As the star vaporizes in the Earth’s atmosphere, it leaves a bright trail; hence, the name “shooting stars” or “falling stars.” They are visible for only 1 to 5 seconds.

I have seen my share of falling stars and confess that many of them felt as if they were for my eyes only. Somehow, being the only one in the world (perhaps) to see that split second of a star’s heavenly existence spiral downward makes me feel special. I view it as God saying He sees me, hears my prayers, or understands my plight. It is our little secret. I saw one last month while peering off the balcony in another country, halfway across the globe. What a glorious thing!

According to scientists, several meteors per hour can be seen on any given night. While most evaporate in the atmosphere, some may survive and actually hit the ground. These are called meteorites.

Such is the case of a famous meteorite that hit the home of a woman in my hometown of Sylacauga, Alabama. On November 30, 1954, Ann Hodges was napping on her couch when a rock suddenly crashed through her roof, bounced off a floor radio, and struck her on her backside. Dr. Moody Jacobs was called to the residence to tend to Mrs. Hodges, who instantly became a celebrity. And why not – she was and is the only human to be hit by a meteorite.

Unbeknownst to Hodges, the meteor was seen earlier as it streaked across the midday sky in three states before landing in Alabama. The event forever marked my hometown as the most famous thing ever to happen, but for Ann Hodges, it became a legal nightmare. Because the house she lived in was rented, the landlord claimed the valuable artifact as her own. After years of litigation, the courts finally awarded Mrs. Hodges as the rightful owner. By this time, however, potential buyers for the meteorite had long departed. What could have made Hodges wealthy at one time was no longer a possibility. She finally sold the rock to the Alabama Museum of Natural History in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The sale gave her enough money to reimburse the debts incurred. Unfortunately, no profit was made.

As it turned out, the meteor broke into two pieces before hitting the ground. The day after Hodges was struck, a farmer named J. McKinney found the second fragment and sold it to the Smithsonian Institute. Both pieces are officially known as the Sylacauga Meteorite, but the piece that struck Hodges is known by her name and is much more famous.  

I reflected on Psalms 147:4 as I thought about the name of the Hodges Meteorite. “He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them.” Can you imagine giving a name to every single star?

The I. A. Comer Museum and Arts Center displays a replica of the Hodges Meteorite along with a collection of original photos and newspaper clippings about the event. I have seen the replica. It’s much smaller than I expected, slightly smaller than a volleyball, I’d say.

*An interesting sidenote is that the meteorite struck across the street from a popular, drive-in theater in Sylacauga. The drive-in decided to call itself The Comet, featuring a large, neon image of a shooting star. I didn’t go there much as a youngster, but I definitely remember the drive-in and the Comet sign.

Stars are mentioned many times in the Bible. One reference comes with a promise from God to Abraham. God made a covenant with Abraham, declaring, “I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and will give your offspring all this land that I have promised, and they will inherit it forever.” God kept that promise. He used the stars to highlight the abundance of His favor in the lives of His chosen people. That promise extends to those who trust in Him today. Blessings are not meant for personal gain; they are to be an extension of God’s love and grace to those with whom we interact. We are called to shine as “stars” reflecting God’s glory and love.

“Just as the stars in the sky are countless, so are the blessings of God that await those who believe.” Joyce Meyer