Forty Five Years
It was forty five years ago I sat on a dirt floor along with 150 other boys and our camp councilors. Late at night by camp standards but not so late that so many young men could stair wide eyed at a small black & white television, waiting to glimpse that historic moment. Seeing the leg come down the ladder and there it was, the first foot print in that dusty soil. Kind of an insignificant pattern, certainly not as sexy as our PF Flyers, but remarkable to see the first footprint that a man had left on the moon.It was one of those “where were you” moments that my generation will never forget. Telling this to my son one evening I was filled with glee and laughter when it looked at me and said “wow pop, I thought we always had men on the moon and all the other planets”. Too much TV and not enough reality I assured myself but looking at so many of the events of history since that night, I can certainly understand his confusion. It has been a busy, busy world since then and bound to get a lot busier in the coming decades.
Over the years we have seen many, many things transpire in this country and around the world and perhaps it is just my opinion, but none of these has gripped the nation or the world as watching man set foot on the moon. It may have been the last time that the majority of the world was united in watching and appreciating a single goal. While we have seen great attempts by a hand full of other nations, one one else has yet made the commitment of time, money, or simple effort to repeat one or all of our visits to the moon. It is just one of those things that sets the USA apart from the rest of the planet, and regardless of what the nay Sayers may say, it is and remains significant.
So lets take this brief moment in time to remind ourselves of what this country can do when it puts it’s mind to it, then lets take a deep breath and write to our elected officials and remind them of what they haven’t done for us lately and that we haven’t forgotten. Enough motivation will get even the slowest turtle up to a gallop!
Comments (5)
but I have sent faxes, letters, signed petitions and while some are acknowledged, nothing has changed, everything is continuing down hill............am no longer proud of my country, but am proud of what she used to be.....and long for her too come back.
We as a country have so lost our way and I mourn for what has been and long to see again......I pray for our troops, I pray for my children and grand children and know they may never see what we saw in our country as we grew up and I for one took for granted....mia culpa....
My Dad was a private in WW11, he was MIA/POW in Moosburg Germany, he escaped and when he made it home he reenlisted in the newly formed Air Force....that was the greatest generation........God bless them all and..God help us.......