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

[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.