I'm gonna guess not many people agree
with me, but I really think that today should be a national holiday.
For those of you who aren't aware (and
since most people AREN'T aware, which is why I believe most people
wouldn't agree that today should be a national holiday), today is the
51st anniversary of one of the pinnacle achievements of humanity, the
landing of Apollo 11 on the moon. It marked a time when people
worked together to achieve a singularly unique goal, a goal that was
not easy to reach, and then all cheered en masse when that goal was
accomplished. It proved what humans could go when they actually
worked together on a project, and didn't devolve into partisan
sniping, bickering, or a “what's in it for me” mentality.
And if for no other reason, maybe
THAT'S why it should declared a national holiday.
After all, it's not like we've done
anything similar in the 51 years since. I sometimes stand, jaw
agape, at the wonder of the situation—over half a century ago we
went people to another celestial body, and then gave up. You
wouldn't think it'd be hard to do it again—after all, the
technology worked the first time—but it is. We're too busy
fighting with each other over every single stupid little thing to
step back and realize what our mothers and fathers and grandparents
did 50+ years ago, and to realize that, if we had the desire and
daring to do it again, we could.
If they were able to do it with the
technology they had, imagine what we could do with the tech we have
today. But over the past five decades, even though plans have been
put forth to replicate that amazing achievement—or, god forbid,
even surpass it—nothing has ever happen. Nothing. NASA has a goal
of returning there by 2024, but the odds are slim that it'll actually
happen and growing slimmer by the day. Maybe Space X will give it a
shot. Maybe China will give it a shot.
Maybe.
And since it may a while before we even
try to once again attempt what occurred 51 years ago today, maybe we
should just declare the day a national holiday, if for no other
reason to remind people what CAN be accomplished if we put our minds
and our collective will behind it.
***
By the way, if you're curious, I have
started counting license plates for the week, even though Art on the
Rocks isn't happening Saturday. It's just too ingrained in me not to
do it, and besides—I'm kind of curious to see what the results will
be!
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