Forty years ago today we celebrated a miracle, two men walked on the moon. For those of us who grew up before twitter, and facebook, the US space program was simply the coolest thing in the world. I joined all of my friends in wanting to be Neil Armstrong or Buzz Aldrin, no one wanted to be Michael Collins because he stayed in space.
I didn't collect baseball cards when I was growing up, it was a pile of brochures from NASA that collected in my room, which I read over and over while sipping a glass of TANG.
I knew the name of every Astronaut every Spacecraft from the first Mercury capsule, through Gemini and Apollo. Their pictures were tacked up across my bedroom wall much to the chagrin of my roommate, my 20 year-old-brother.
It was a different time, the entire nation was behind that one goal, landing a man on the moon and getting him home safely. While people fought over politics and a War that our government refused to try and win, everyone was, to some extent a space junkie.
Other than the basement, the only place in my house with a TV Set was my parents room. I slept on my parent's floor so I cold be woken to see man's first moonwalk. As I watched Neil Armstrong walk down that ladder, I couldn't help to think how cool this country is, to make this happen. And as I looked at the earth from the moon I thought what a beautiful world God created. That night was not only a victory for science but it was a victory for faith.
Now 40 years later, I miss that America, the unity of purpose, etc. That night 40 years ago today, I slept in my parent's bedroom to watch the coolest thing our country has ever done and I witnessed an incredible universe that God created.
It is my hope that we use this anniversary, to re-energize NASA and our national space program, so we can go on to Mars and my kids will feel that same unique joy I felt when I slept on my parent's floor.
1 comment:
"Now 40 years later, I miss that America, the unity of purpose"
Me too. I remember watching it in my pajamas.
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