Two significant events occurred yesterday.
The first was the news that Neil Armstrong had died.
It was 33 years ago, the summer before my Senior year in high school, when I sat transfixed with my family in front of our television to listen and to watch that historic moment when Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon.
“One small step for man. One giant leap for mankind.”
Indeed!
You might not consider the second event nearly as important.
Yesterday was also the 96th birthday of the National Park Service.
That organization and those men and women who are stewards of some of the most beautiful places not just in this country, but in the world.
I have been fortunate enough to breath deeply and to stand awe struck in some of those places where the Park Service serves as both host and steward including Yellowstone National Park where the plaque on the Roosevelt Arch which marks the north entrance to the park reads:
“Created By An Act of Congress
March 1, 1872.”
We used to do great things.
Send astronauts to the moon.
Create a breath-taking national park system.
Build the interstate highway system.
Bring electric power to every tiny crossroads in our country.
And, the list can and should go on.
Today, it seems that we cannot do anything…
Except, that is, fight with each other and tell each other how bad off we are and how frightened we should be.
Was it really that different a century ago or 50 years ago?
I doubt it .
There were different issues, yes.
And, different circumstances.
But, I am sure there were concerns about money and taxes and conflicts just as there are now, but in spite of all that great things were accomplished.
I wonder if historians looking back at these days we have now will see great things that we, as a nation, accomplished? Or, will they just see missed opportunities?
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