After the Storm: Per Aspera Ad Astra

“Per aspera ad astra” is a Latin phrase meaning “through hardships to the stars”.

Everyone is fighting through their own struggles in the hopes of getting to the stars. For me, I recently broke ties with two of my best friends. It’s been a surreal experience. It’s been a challenge—countless breakdowns, panic attacks, and severe anxiety. At some points the difficulties seemed too much to overcome; then at other times, my life seems better after the storm. Instead of having toxic friendships, I am currently in a healthier environment surrounded by loving and supporting friends and family. During this entire experience, I’ve expressed my pain and growth through a series of short poems. Join me on this journey. As they say, always choose love and when they choose to leave, choose to love yourself harder.