moment with something greater
than themselves, yet something
that was part of them and they part
of it.
People brought entire families to
see this greatest achievement of
mankind and their country. They
brought newborns, the elderly
and handicapped in wheelchairs,
children from school; they dotted
rooftops, hung from billboards and
balconies, hoisted kids on shoulders
to see history passing within reach of
eyes and they respected authority.
When the police asked them to
move back or stay out from under
Endeavour’s wings, all complied.
Everyone
–
but
everyone,
including police and moving
officials – raised their cameras, cell
phones, iPads or whatever they
had to capture the scene all the
way along the route 24/7 for three
wondrous days.
It was a tremendous privilege
to be among the crowds these
wondrous three days, days that
www.RocketSTEM.org
reminded all of the way our space
program had united the world in
what could be achieved when we
call upon the very best in all of us
from the people of our world.
It was the same feeling we
had, those of us old enough to
remember Neil Armstrong setting
foot on the moon for the first time in
history back in 1969 – the first human
step off the planet and into a new
era – and now here we are again,
marking another step in the right
direction for humankind.
The Endeavour story, one year
later, echoed last year’s story in a
number of ways: low expectations
in the turnout and enthusiasm of the
people of Los Angeles, California
Science
Center’s
concerns
about publicizing an event which
would be severely hamstrung by
the government shutdown and
budgetary constraints.
But, like last year, the real story
was the people. They came
enthusiastically and in droves.
They came singly and in groups;
from multi-generational families,
neighborhood groups, schools,
the handicapped. All arrived by
whatever means they could muster.
Like the United States itself, every
race, creed, color and tongue
could be seen and heard. A turnout much like last year’s parade
through the streets.
Smiling faces and faces filled with
pride that turned to awe as they
entered the presence of Endeavour
itself.
The uncertainty we had felt
earlier dissipated like fog in the
presence of sunlight as we joined
the crowd to snap photos of the
great bird and the shining faces
of those who had come to see her
and pay their respects to this great
“Endeavour” who had successfully
completed her 26th Mission – that
of arriving in Los Angeles to lend her
example in teaching and leading
other generations to their own
discoveries.
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