I'll Never Be an Astronaut

Not because I'm unimportant, not a pilot, not athletic, and have no stake in or possibility of entering our or any other space program (though all of those things are true.)

But because we don't go there anymore.

When I was little, space was the great, mysterious beyond. It's where dreams and nightmares both were born. Here's the thing, though--it still is. It's still mysterious and great. It is still, and will always be, the ultimately unconquerable frontier.

Today is the anniversary of the first time we landed on the Moon. It was a big day, though most of us probably didn't recognize the anniversary. I didn't, until a little bit ago.

The fact that so many of us are unaware is proof enough that we have abandoned our extra-terrestrial aspirations. In my estimation, this is one of the primary things that marks a society in decline. We don't have time anymore. We don't have resources. Our goals are more complex and frightening. Nope. We don't have the heart for it. We used to, but we lost it somewhere in the last few decades.

The inspiration for my sad diatribe is an article by Charles Krauthammer called "The Moon We Left Behind." Please read it, and do it in honor of one of our greatest and most noble achievements.