Mooning on Moonday
I had planned for some months now to write about the 40th anniversary of the moon landing. Space exploration is of profound interest to me. As a child, as I’ve written elsewhere, one of my favorite books was You Will Go to the Moon! When I read it; people HAD gone. I just knew I would, too.
I wanted to write of a family member who’d told a long tale of how her summer vacation was interrupted by watching the moon landing on television. She’d been staying with her family in a cabin in the woods, without television or radio. Some kind neighbors along the way invited the family to their larger, more elegant summer home to view the historic event. Only nine years old at the time, she gradually came to realize it was important to stop building the “Flintstone Village” in the sand—which she’d been doing with a friend before being called in to watch the amazing event, and focus on the meaning and significance of space travel.
I wanted to say all this, in much greater detail…but something in me resisted, and procrastinated, until I found myself unable to write anything else, either. Well, this historic anniversary has come and gone (on Monday—“Moonday”, as it happens!), and I realize now that I felt I was supposed to write about it. I nearly joined a “Bloggers Unite” group to pledge to blog about this topic—I’m glad now I did not. As much as I honor the achievements of the crew that first stepped on the moon, in 1969, I find that dwelling upon and aggrandizing history, at least in this area, has lost much of its appeal for me. It is simply not who I am. And I feel a modicum of guilt, and a dash of reluctance to share that admission.
photo credit: NASA
I cannot, even now, imagine the courage it took to agree to be shot into space, during those early days of travel, knowing that no one had done these things before. Nevertheless, they did, and space travel will continue, one way or another, as well it should. I believe ways will be found to colonize Mars or the Moon or some other place. Perhaps, we humans will delve further into the mysteries of quantum mechanics and discover we don’t even need vessels for such travel. But that is for another time. I just feel a need, these days, to focus upon the present.
Having let go of the burden to write about the Moon; I wrote about it anyway, without the burden. Life so often works better that way—at least I think it does—without the burden of necessity. Letting it go, letting it flow, can accomplish a peaceful resolution, regardless.
Perhaps we’ll meet on the moon, someday…
MusEditions 
I think your timing and words are perfect. We can’t force things to be written and when we try, the result’s not very satisfactory. Much better to write what you can’t not write, when your inner self won’t let you go another day without writing it.
The courage amazes me beyond expression. Alan Shepard was asked what he was thinking as he sat atop his Redstone rocket waiting for liftoff. He answered, “The fact that every part of this ship was built by the low bidder.”
ellaella
July 22, 2009
ah yes! the great unknown…true pioneers. I remember sitting in my class in front of a tv screen that was rolled in watching the whole thing. you could have heard a pin drop as we all held our breaths. I look at where I metaphorically go do the moon everyday. It can sometimes feel lonely and isolated, but what a view, eh?!
seeing
July 22, 2009
It’s just amazing the way you write… I wish I had that ability. And I totally agree with Ella:
Tell me about it…
Juan
July 22, 2009
Whew, busy week! Thank you, ella. It’s been like that for me lately; not sure why. Your words are wise; I much appreciate them. Wow! That “low bidder” comment just gave me more chills. Another OMG moment! 😮
Golly, you got to watch it in school, seeing? Yes, indeed, the best view ever! I had a friend who had a huge poster of that view of the earth from the moon. She had it pasted on her entire front wall, including the door; it was like being in space. And when someone entered the house, it looked as if they were walking right through the earth! Coooool! I intend to get up there myself; either with my body or out of it!!!
Oh, Juan, that’s so lovely of you to say! You know, I admire your writing style, too, and I’m not just saying that to be nice to the blog commenter! 😉 You have a unique way of expressing yourself that’s just right. And besides, if you think writing is not your best thing, you can run circles around most of the rest of us regarding tech issues; not to mention your music and other creative design. Huh! Already getting envious just replying to your comment! 🙂
museditions
July 26, 2009
I too can only imagine the courage it would take to go into the unknown. I was just looking at some space pictures a few days ago (here) that really just gave me that feeling of how large everything really is. To be the first shot out into the unknown of the never ending, I’m just not sure I could have done it.
I love this
Shane
July 28, 2009
I really appreciate that, Shane! The words “the burden of necessity” just sort of popped into my head, and got me thinking…
Those pics you linked to are fantastic! Some of the best I’ve seen! Thank you very much for sharing them; I’m once again awestruck. One of the things that has surprised me most when looking at space photos (many from the Hubble telescope) is all the colors! I didn’t expect that.
museditions
July 29, 2009
Very wise words, Muse, especially on the burden of necessity. This is something I very much wish I’d read earlier, but I have only myself to blame for that.
Confession: even knowing it’s possible to go into space, the very concept is scary to me! ^_^;
B0bbyG
August 1, 2009
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Hey, B0bby, my “Blogging Without Obligation” badge applies to readers as well as the BloggerMuse! Thank you for calling me wise! 🙂 I recently saw a doco about the American gazillionaire who paid a fortune to travel on a Russian shuttle and visit the Intl. Space station. Ooooh, the cramped quarters! I think I’d spend my millions elsewhere. If I had them. 😉
museditions
August 5, 2009