It was 40 years ago today ....

Can you believe that it has been 40 years since Neil Armstrong walked on the moon? I had just returned from 2 years in the Republic of Niger serving in the U. S. Peace Corps. Niger was, and still is, one of the poorest countries in the world. Surviving and have your children survive is a daily struggle. Coming back to the United States, to a developed world, was shock enough. But walking on the moon? Pure fantasy.

I don't remember watching the launch, but I do remember seeing the television broadcast of the landing several days later. One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind ....

To our children and our children's children, this all seems rather routine. We no longer hold our breath as each rocket or space ship or shuttle is fired off into space. We accept the fact that man can do this - we can venture forth into space, do the impossible, and return. But 40 years ago today, it was a grand adventure, a heartstopping exploration into the unknown, an exhilarating voyage where man had never been. It was pure fantasy come to life.

I miss the awe. I miss the adventure. I miss the challenge.