One Small Step

[puppetmaker]

I remember where I was on 10:56pm on July 20, 1969. I was with a bunch of other kids, scientists and spouses watching as Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon. I was 5 years old but I remember the excitement among the adults and the cheer that went up when he stepped onto the moon.

I remember years later touring the Kennedy Space Center a couple of years later and being in awe of how big those Saturn rockets were.

I wanted to be an astronaut at that time. That dream died rather early because heights and I do not get along at all. But I admired all those scientists and astronauts that did make space travel possible. Back in 1969 the astronauts were bigger than rock stars to us kids. It was the ultimate job.

This event shaped a lot of things in my life and I can’t believe that it was 40 years ago.

So I salute everyone who made this and other missions possible.

I am grateful that I saw Neil Armstrong step onto the Moon.

Comments

[paigemom.livejournal.com]

I was 6. My parents made a point of making the day memorable in other ways with a picnic at my favorite park, and taking lots of pictures at the picnic, so I'd at least have a record of the day.

They let me camp out in the living room and snooze -- the moonwalk was delayed for some reason, so it ended up happening way past my bedtime.

[querldox.livejournal.com]

Actually, it wasn't delayed but moved up. Believe it or not, the original plan had the astronauts going to sleep and not moonwalking until the next morning. Instead, they came out at 10:56pm Eastern time after having landed at about 4:15pm.

And I definitely stayed up to watch it; once Uncle Walter started saying it was possible they'd be out that night, my parents would've had to drag me kicking and screaming away from the tv and put me under constant guard in the bedroom to keep me from getting back to it.

[amarafox.livejournal.com]

I was nnot even a twinkle in me mama's eyes. But I wanted to be an astronaut when I was a kid, too, from the 80s space program (That was, until thil the explodeyness happened)

[jenandbronze.livejournal.com]

I wish I was born to see all of that, but I wasn't born yet to witness that amazing historical moment.

[ladytalker13.livejournal.com]

I was 15 and I remember being glued to the set from the early morning hours... I was enthralled. Now we're glued to the computer... lol

[readinggeek451]

We didn't own a TV yet*, so we borrowed one from the family down the street who had two. My parents insisted we all watch. I'm very, very glad now that they did, but at the time, I was more excited about being allowed to stay up late then by the event itself. I was 6; J would have been not quite 4, so I'm not sure what she remembers. But I do!

*We bought one sometime in the next year, because the moon landing persuaded my parents that there were in fact a few things worth watching.