Adversity

Adversity.

I don't think I knew what adversity meant until about five years ago. Since then, I have definitely had my share of adversity. In fact, I'm pretty darn tired of adversity and tend to complain that life should not be THIS hard ALL. THE. TIME.

This summer as my fortieth birthday approached, I challenged myself to start reading again -- really reading, not just stuffing my head with literary fluff. I started with Joyce's Dubliners and then moved on to his Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. I've also, I might add, become one of those dorky people who highlight things in their books and write quotes on their bathroom mirrors.

This quote was magic to me -  I was mesmerized by it. I wrote it on my bathroom mirror. I highlighted it in my book. I even made this crazy little graphic above and put it on my Facebook page. Yes, I AM that dorky.

But maybe when I explain why, you'll understand. You see, this adversity thing has had me really down the past few years, like I said... and honestly, there are plenty of days when I feel like I don't even want to get up and fight the good fight, just because, well... I'm freaking exhausted.

Something about stars though -- pretty stars, majestic stars, a sky filled with stars, dancing among the stars -- this strikes me as beautiful. About as beautiful as adversity is ugly. And somehow knowing that I get to dance among the stars once I get through this adversity business... well, it makes it all seem just a bit easier.

I introduce you to my new mantra: "Per aspera ad astra" -- through adversity to the stars! May it give you as much inspiration as it has given me!