I watched the documentary “In the Shadow of the Moon” last night. I have been fascinated by the Apollo program for a few years now. What an amazing achievement. Incredible to put those 12 men on the moon, so long ago. It almost brings me to tears that we (humanity) can achieve something so remarkable.
I was too young at the time – I was only 2.5 years old when man last walked on the moon – I don’t remember any of it. All that work, effort, skill and astounding results happened before my time. Today, I realize that I am only a few months younger than Neil Armstrong was when he went to the moon (38y 9m; Neil was 38y 11m during the first landing).
What a moment in time. As they said in the video, the astronauts were approached by people who didn’t say “American’s went to the moon”, they said “we (humanity) went to the moon.” For one shining moment, the world came together to celebrate what man is capable of doing.
Today, 35+ years later, the world is less united than any previous point. Ethnic, religious and economic differences between people have widened. We came through the Cold War without incinerating ourselves, and now seem bent on destroying ourselves through pollution and hatred because we cannot work together.
But no matter what happens now, nothing can take away those footsteps on the distant world. Our presence is there permanently, and nothing we do now (or fail to do) can ever take that away.