Counting Stars turns 21 years with the same freedom and some changes in sight

On July 15, 2004, Counting Stars began its journey online, a journey that has taken it to many countries.

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There are many news and opinion spaces online these days, but I think few can say that in 21 years they haven't received or requested a single cent of public money of any kind: no subsidies, no institutional advertising, no institutional subscriptions... nothing. Obviously, that has certain drawbacks. Here, the media are scarce and depend on my personal resources, but there's one priceless advantage: no one dictates what I have to write. No governments, no political parties, no companies, no organizations of any kind. The only limit here is the one set by my principles. Being able to write with complete freedom is something I particularly appreciate, and I wouldn't change that for anything.

Of course, not being tied to any one organization often means having to swim against the current, but I think many people recognize the value of that. This site has received nearly 800,000 visits in the last month, according to Google Analytics.

This blog is now viewed in 190 countries, a number that, to be honest, leaves me overwhelmed. 71% of the audience of this site is from Spain, 6.35% of readers from the USA, 2.05% from Venezuela, 1.92% from Chile, 1.82% from Peru, 1.67% from Argentina, 1.67% from Mexico, 0.97% from Uruguay, 0.78% from the United Kingdom and 0.75% from Colombia. I would like to mention five countries that are particularly important to me: 630 readers (0.18%) from Poland, 248 (0.07%) from Israel, 130 (0.04%) from Ukraine, 83 (0.02%) from the Republic of China (Taiwan) and also a single reader from Vatican City (this made me very happy).

I would have liked to have been able to debut some changes on this anniversary, but my personal circumstances have prevented me from doing so. I hope to be able to implement them gradually over the coming months. Of course, don't worry: this blog will remain what it has always been. The changes will be purely functional, to slightly improve your reading experience.

I thank God and the intercession of Saint John Paul II, the saint to whom I have the greatest devotion, for his help in the most difficult moments. I dedicate this anniversary to my family, who are the solid pillar on which this site rests, and I also express my special thanks to Isaac, without whose IT help this blog would possibly succumb to the multitude of computer attacks it suffers.

My thanks also to the subscribers and those who follow this blog on different social networks or visit it daily. Sometimes it's strange to think that among you there are many people who weren't even born when this blog first started. I hope I can continue to live up to the attention you give me and the valuable time you dedicate to reading this site.

I want to end these lines with two quotes that I really like. One is from Miguel de Cervantes and appears in Chapter 53 of "Don Quixote":

Freedom, Sancho, is one of the most precious gifts that heaven has bestowed upon mankind; no treasures that the earth holds nor the sea conceals can equal it; for liberty, as for honor, one can and should risk one's life.

The other is by J.R.R. Tolkien, my favorite writer, and appears in Book 1, Chapter 1 of "The Fellowship of the Ring," the first volume of "The Lord of the Rings." It's the poem I've repeated the most on this blog:

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.