Forty years ago someone told me I would remember that day for the rest of my life. It is true. Although I don't recall all the details of exactly what I was doing, I do remember some. I remember it was a Sunday. Back then Sunday afternoon was filled with friends gathering to share a few hours of time together between Sunday School in the morning and Sacrament Meeting at night. I remember my friends and I were at my house. Although it was usual for the girls to be together, I remember some of the boys our age there as well. We were downstairs and ready to go out the door and up the steps, but decided to stop and watch the small TV sitting next to the doorway. I remember thinking that I didn't want to miss this day in history so I waited to see the images coming back from space. I wondered if the first man to step onto the moon would sink like in quicksand, or would it be solid rock with no dirt. I remember watching as the cloud of dust came up as the lunar lander decended, giving us the fact that there was dirt or dust on the surface. We watched with butterflies as the figure emerged from the lander and took that first step. I remember it was exciting and scary to watch, not knowing what would happen. I was amazed with the pictures and couldn't get enough. But then....it was over and we went on with our day.
So much happened during those first years of the space age. I remember the first man in space, sometime close to my birthday one year. I was very young then, but considering only a few years later we were on the moon, it must have been a time of great discovery. Not much has happened to such a great degree since then. We do get better pictures from space, and there have been many major setbacks, but nothing as exciting to me as that first step on the moon.
I remember that day.....
3 comments:
I remember watching that landing also. It has been funny over the years as I have subbed history classes and the moon landing comes up. I have told the kids that I watched it as it happened. They then look at me with big eyes as the realize just how old I am. I'm so grateful for my memories. I just wish I had the time to get them all written down. At least I have recorded part of them. Thanks for reminding me of the past.
It makes me feel older, too, Sandra. I used to use a list of compound words that contained "splashdown". After explaining what a slashdown WAS I decided to not use that list any more. Some words just aren't necessasry any more for a third grader.
I was going to ask you today what you were doing 40 years ago! Now you look at what has happened in my lifetime and what I will remember. In my cedar chest is newspapers that I kept from the day after 9/11 and many days after. I have lived through a lot that I can't even imagine having to tell my kids. But what it would have been like to be able to see the man on the moon! lol MAN you guys are old!
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