Rant #3,743: Moonwalk

Yesterday was the 56th anniversary of a pretty big day in not only America's history, but also in world history.

It is hard to believe that it was so long ago, but on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong walked on the surface of the moon.

Being 12 years old at the time, I was as caught up in the buildup of all of this as everyone else.

We were going to do the impossible, something that had only been in the dreams of science fiction writers and real dreamers.

I remember that my family had been on our annual vacation to the Catskill Mountains during the days just prior to this event.

I really didn't like going to the Catskill Mountains at this point in my life, and I am sure I gave my parents hell during that week away.

I wanted to be with my friends, be in camp, and this vacation took all of that away from me.

And the anticipation of what was going to happen probably made my time away much, much worse.

I was really into this.

I read everything and anything I could about the mission, and at the time, one of my uncles had worked as an engineer on the prior Gemini program, and he periodically sent us pamphlets and information on that project, so at an early age, I was primed and ready for the Apollo space program.

As we left our vacation spot and drove home, I simply could not wait to get home.

When we finally did, I remember putting on our old black and white Dumont television in our living room--I think i put it on Channel 2, WCBS in New York, but I am not sure--and the news coverage had started early in the afternoon, so i just planted myself on the couch, and planned to watch the moonwalk.

And then Neil Armstrong did what was thought to be impossible--

"One small step fir man, one giant leap for mankind."

And all in glorious black and white.

I simply could not take my eyes off the screen. 

I was so mesmerized, I don't remember if my parents or my sister were watching with me.

It didn't matter.

I witnessed the impossible.

Sure, there were other subsequent moon missions in the Apollo program, and I watched them all, but once we did the impossible, the moonwalks became somewhat ho hum.

It wasn't just me.

Interest waned, and the other projects leading up to where we are now didn't do too much to pique interest in the space program.

There were other concerns to take care of here on earth, and interest in the space program just really hasn't been reignited during the past 50 years--

Even though numerous countries and private companies have gotten into the space act in recent years.

That maiden moonwalk gave Baby Boomers, in particular, perhaps the major focal point of our generation.

Yes, our generation were dreamers.

But the moonwalk gave us reason to believe dreams can come true--

Something no succeeding generation can make claim to.

Maybe that is what is wrong with our planet.

When you can dream, and make the impossible possible, then the sky is literally the limit.

That first moonwalk galvanized the world, and if for just a few moments, we were literally brothers in arms, forgetting our differences and demonstrating that with all those differences, we were the human race.

There is nothing like this today, and maybe, that is the problem.

People don't dream anymore, and let's be honest about it--

Most people alive today were not even born yet when Armstrong took those first steps on the moon.

It is ancient history to them, if even that.

I am hoping that during the next few years, we, as a civilization, can experience another such galvanizing moment--

When astronauts reach, land on, and walk on Mars.

I am certainly hoping that I am around for that event, but most importantly, i am hoping that the younger generation has their moment, just like my generation had their moment when Armstrong took the maiden steps on the moon.

We need something to bring us all together, and a Mars walk might just be it.