Monday, July 20, 2009

Dare To Do!

I took my 8 year old son to DC 2 weeks ago. It is something that I always envisioned doing with my children to help them gain an appreciation and some context of what they are about to learn in school as they enter 3rd grade. When their teachers start to talk about US history, my kids will be able to say "i have been in that room of the White House" or "I was inside Ford's Theatre". It made history jump off the page for me growing up and I hope it does the same for my kids.

The Air and Space Museum was our second stop on our tour. He saw how small the Gemini capsules were and how big the Saturn V rockets were. He saw how in less than 70 years man was able to go from the Wright Brothers to the moon. We watched short movies of how 1 idea... the reality of flight.... could be used for warfare and for commerce.

As long as man has roamed this earth, he has looked up at the moon and wondered how he could reach out and touch it.... and my son touched a moon rock. It was doing that got us there. It was the thousands of failed attempts at flight that made the moon mission possible. As you see the position of Wilbur essentially laying down on his stomach gripping the controls, you realize how vulnerable and dangerous a venture this was. Injury and death were a strong probability.

So today on the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing.... possibly man's single greatest collective accomplishment, I challenge you to risk something today by "doing". Stop wasting precious minutes/hours and write down that idea that has been bouncing around your head, that business plan, that concept. Start it today! Do something and you might let other children touch the moon.

Andy