46 Years Ago

It was exactly 46 years ago tonight. I remember it well.  It was late at night and I was in bed.  All of a sudden my dad opened the door and said come on out we’re going to see something. He pulled us out to the living room and turned on the TV.  I had never got to see TV so late at night so I was really impressed by the whole thing.  My mom got me a bowl of chocolate ice cream and then things got really exciting.  We were about to watch the first men land on the moon.  I could not believe it.  This was a very special night.  We got to watch Neal Armstrong make those first steps.

I had remembered being fascinated with the moon.  It was my first memory in my life – looking out of my crib at the moon and crying because it was so big and bright.  But I kept looking at it. My mom eventually came and then I was less afraid.  But I never lost that fear of the moon.

A couple of years later, Dad bought me a telescope and I used it every night out of my bedroom window.  I would look at the moon and it was so far away that it terrified me.  I can’t really describe the feeling of awe and terror that I felt but it was one of those things that drew me back to it night after night.  I would look at the spots on the moon through that telescope and sometimes I would look for martians roaming around.  I remember it all so well.

I wanted to be an astronaut because I thought everyday would be exciting.  I guess it all started that night 46 years ago tonight when the first man walked on the moon.