AD ASTRA PER ASPERA

Latin for: "To the stars through difficulty"~

This is the hearty pioneer motto of my home state of Kansas, and while I have transcended my birthplace in many ways, I retain this phrase as I do the beautiful color, openness and freedom of the prairie where I grew up. As anyone could most likely tell from my interests expressed in the content of this blog, I do in fact believe that we should all always reach for the stars, and especially when faced with circumstances that are truly difficult in times like the present.

This mantra is a guiding element of science fiction, but also of the fantasy and mythological genres too. It is synergistic to note this connection between future and past and all the everyday life found in between. And it is especially good to also have it intertwined with classical drama through links to Shakespeare- specifically Hamlet- who David Tennant is playing now, Richard Burton played then and also joined Richard Harris in playing the Lord of Camelot below...

"Resolved: I am a King, not a man
And a very civilized King.
Could it possibly be civilized to love myself above all?
Could it possibly be civilized to destroy the thing I love,
What of their pain and their torment?
Did they ask for this calamity?
Can passion be selected?
Is there any doubt of their devotion to me or to my Table?
My God, Excalibur, I shall be a King!
This is the time of King Arthur and we shall reach for the stars!
This is the time of King Arthur- when violence is not strength,
And compassion is not weakness!
We are civilized, resolved- We shall go through this together-
They, you and I,
And may God have mercy on us all!"


Also helpful to remember- in the face of the nameless multitudes- the power of One-

"We are less than a drop in the great blue motion of the sunlit sea,
But it seems that some of the drops do sparkle...
Some of them DO sparkle!
Run boy! Run!!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SxvcX_nxD4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q19Ce_4ypY