On July 21, Space Shuttle Atlantis touched down for the last time.
The Space Shuttle program is ending after thirty years and I am quite
sad.
I am 64 years old and I grew up with the hope and excitement of the
future before all of us. It was right before us and all we had to do
is dream, work hard and reach for it. The world and space was ours.
I think the Space Program was a spark that inspired a generation of
people and children.
I think we have no dreams today, not on the magnitude of those early
years.
Today we have no one thing sparks or inspires us to achieve like we
had at the start of the space program. Excitement to achieve.
When I was a little girl growing up in Chicago, one of the best
weekend afternoon treats was a trip to the airport.
Not to get on a plane and fly away somewhere but to park on the street
at the end of the runway , with lots of other families, and watch the
airplanes takeoff or land. If we timed it right the Good Humor Ice
Cream truck would be there and we got eat ice cream and watch the
airplanes.
So amazing so exciting and so much fun.
Ones imagination took flight with those airplanes of the 1950's.
Then the Space program started, "The Right Stuff" rides circling the
earth, trips to the stars, landing on the Moon, colonies on Mars,
missions to other Galaxies.
It was exciting to be young in the 1950's the world was before us. We
were all so young and full of promise.
I think I was very lucky to be growing up durning the 1950's. I know
there were lots of problems but what I remember was the ability to
look forward, to be able to be inspired and run with it.
wistful . . . parsnip
music. . . Back In The High Life Again, Steve Winwood
Friday, July 22, 2011
space.....
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Yes, agree. I grew up in the 70's and there was still some magic lingering as well things we waited for, gathered together with anticipation. My husband grew up outside Chicago by the way, Tinley Park :)
ReplyDeleteI think these grand projects will continue, it is just that they will be run by China and India.
ReplyDeleteI'm conflicted about all that. It was still very exciting when I was of elementary school age in the late '60s and early '70s. But in retrospect, landing on the moon now looks like a bit of a stunt, something to show up the Russians with. Once they were properly chastened, then what? Landing on the moon was a tough, and prohibitively expensive, act to follow. Still, who knows what tomorrow will bring?
ReplyDeleteI think it's a shame they really aren't making an effort anytime soon to continue on.
ReplyDeleteI like your image, very powerful and mysterious. I remember my dad parking at the Burbank airport in the 1960's to watch the planes. It was kind of noisy for me and I prefered the sunset at the beach. Now I find watching the sunrise in the desert exciting or at least uplifting.
ReplyDeleteMy granny took me to London airport to have tea and we loved it when the waiter said:
ReplyDelete'Lovely day for a flight modom.'
Great photo - reminds me of that old song:
'When the deep purple falls,
Over sleepy garden walls,
And the stars begin to glitter in the sky...'
I think ending the program is a decision that will come back to bite us in the ass.
ReplyDeleteI do so agree Parsnip - there seems to be nothing 'awe-inspiring' any more does there?
ReplyDeleteI am just old enough to have been alive before Yuri Gagarin made that first historic flight into space and I grew up with Apollo missions, the first moon landing and, finally, the shuttle programme. The excitement over here was maybe not so intense as in the States, but I still remember being dragged in front of the TV to watch because "This is a moment in history".
ReplyDeletejeanette...
ReplyDeleteone visit to Chicago I hired a taxi for a few hours and tried to find my old home. what we found was a destroyed, horrible area where no one one took care of their home old cars and junk in the street... I am hoping that was not my old neighborhood. I will look again
But the tour of all the Frank Loyde Wright home was fabulous. My driver had never been there before. He said it was his best afternoon ever.
Loach...
I"m not sure about anything anymore. Your guess is about as good as any.
Kirk...
I think your probable right but what I was trying to say was the feeling of expanse (?) the idea we could do something so exciting witch filered down to everything
William...
I'm not sure what they should be doing but when I see such waste of money spent or trivial pursuits so people can be reelected ... I start pulling my hair out.
Diane...
Yes noisy but... wow when I was a child so exciting.
Pat...
I love the fact your Granny took you for tea at the airport. How very exciting.
I remember taking my older son for a afternoon at the Jon Wayne airport we sat and had a drink and watch the airplanes stake off and land.
Kanani...
I think our leaders are too bogged down with their trivial life's they need to build themselves up...speaking to you Mr. Obama... You so right about the karma.
Weaver...
Yes, that's the point I was trying to make nothing will ever be that inspiring again.
H...
Oh yes the dragging of every kid and told watch this you are watching history in the making. But you know our parents were right.