Neil Armstrong, who brought the Apollo 11 Lunar Module down on the surface of the moon on July 20, 1969 and explored the surface with Buzz Aldrin, passed away today at the age of 82. We wish our icons would stay with us forever, but the universe doesn't quite work that way. Thanks to him and so many others like him, our universe is just a little bit bigger. Godspeed, Mr. Armstrong. And thank you.
Your turn: Thoughts?
Note: Mr. Armstrong's family has released a statement - link here. I'm especially struck by this passage:
"While we mourn the loss of a very good man, we also celebrate his remarkable life and hope that it serves as an example to young people around the world to work hard to make their dreams come true, to be willing to explore and push the limits, and to selflessly serve a cause greater than themselves.
"For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request. Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink."
Oh my.
ReplyDeleteI've been out and about all day, and I hadn't heard this news.
Your post brought tears to my eyes. I hate to think he's gone; he was one of my childhood heroes.
Hadn't heard of this at all!. I remember watching this back in 1969... It just seems so strange that he is gone.. I can still picture myself watching him on tv making history...Time literally has flown!.
ReplyDeleteAs hubby and I were watching the evening new and this story came on we naturally reached for each other and the TV was forgotten as we talked about where we were back then and all that implied, sharing parts of our lives that the other was not a part of at that time.
ReplyDeleteSince we record our programs to watch later in the day we then had to replay the program to take in the details of this great loss and get the stations view of Mr. Armstrong's life and legacy.