Ad astra

You might've noticed the phrase "Per ardua ad astra" on the homepage. Let me explain what that phrase means to me.

Since I was a kid, I looked up into the vastness of the sky and dreamt myself up there. A dream that has actually never left me. I'd love to wander the universe defying time and space. Leaving the known behind and going beyond the farthest stars. Ever onward. I feel calm, peaceful and content when looking at a clear dark sky. For me personally, "ad astra" is an incentive to never stop dreaming, to not lose hope and to feel grounded whilst aiming for something bigger.

Translated from its latin origin the phrase per aspera ad astra or the similar per ardua ad astra means "through hardships to the stars". The latter phrase is the motto of the UK's Royal Airforce, which I somehow admire. More or less this phrase expresses that one has to make sacrifices to reach a goal, to work hard for it and overcome hurdles.