Frontier Lost

When Kennedy spoke "we do these things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard." and the desire to "send a man to the Moon and return him safely to the Earth" the space program was full of hope and although our country had numerous other problems and would get involved in a war in southeast Asia before accomplishing the task set before us by President Kennedy.  We did it.

It is amazing what our Nation can do when our collective will is applied.  I've had numerous people disagree with me as to the reasons why.  That the whole of the program from Mercury through Apollo would have never happened if the Cold War had not been in progress.  This idea saddens me.  That only war will drive us into space, that humanity's drive and desire for exploration and knowledge had absolutely nothing to do with it.  Seems that Hollywood is the primary driver of this idea, although they've not always been this way as posited by the article as well.

I've also given a fair amount of thought as to why most folks express only a limited interest in our path to the stars.  My personal conclusion is that we have lost our vision of the frontier.  We lost interest when we lost the ability to see the stars.  When there is a constant reminder each and every time you look up, it is hard to forget.  When you can't see the goal, it becomes almost impossible to remember why you're pushing so hard to get there.  If we cannot see, there is little reason to strive.

This is why I look at the stars.  This is why I hope to one day stand upon the shoulders of giants and push back the immutable and immeasurable darkness.