I was nineteen years old when Armstrong and Aldrin walked on the moon. I remember before I went to bed that night, after watching lots of shaky footage on television of the moon walk, how I stared long and hard at the moon through my bedroom window. I remember straining to see (even squinting my eyes to gain greater focus) if I could locate the lunar lander. It was silly I knew, but the event felt so momentous at the time and I was overwhelmed by what seemed to be a reality of infinite potential. Absolutely anything seemed possible.
Looking through that window on Sabra Road, with my hands resting on the cold marble sill, I felt truly powerful. Even the pattern of lights from the passing cars that crossed my ceiling did not distract me. That was a long time ago. Many journeys have been undertaken since.
But, thank you Neil Armstrong and the thousands who helped to make the mission possible, for that brief and pure moment of quintessential promise.
Still in school, I had a much different reaction but do remember it well. My response was one of anger. How dare he or anyone trespass there! So long ago but also yesterday. Interesting as I have been writing about that old stalker, time!