Man on the Moon
Brent Lieberman
It was dark, with stars and other planets glowing in the distance. There weren’t any sounds except Neil Armstrong’s suit rustling like a candy wrapper as he descended down the ladder. Within the helmet, the steady noise of his breathing from the oxygen tank settled his nerves. He peered around and saw no life, no vegetation. In front of Neil stood craters the size of lakes, and dusty mounds as if mini Everests. His breathing once again picked up, and he instinctively checked all of his monitoring gauges. He gripped a picture of his family hidden within his glove. Armstrong slowly began to talk into his radio, having a word with some small town controllers located in Cape Canaveral. Neil reached the last bar on the ladder, not knowing what to expect next. After a short moment, he put his foot down on the pale landscape. Thoughts went racing through his head, a rush so invigorating it put him at a standstill. The images of him in his 2nd grade NASA Halloween costume, the memories of rigorous training days he never thought would end, and the birth of his 3 children; Mark, Eric, and Karen took over. Finally snapping back into reality, in one long breath Neil stated, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Despite the silence, and the sense of loneliness, his words radiated throughout the nation. He stood on the ladder as a man, and stepped on to the moon as a hero. Tears of joy fell from the faces of Americans and space enthusiasts all across the world. Neil defied gravity, literally, and his step took him further than any other step in his life could have taken him. He felt weightless, yet he walked with a heavy heart. This mission meant much more than a personal achievement. This mission was for all who dare to dream, and for all of those who dare to beat the odds against any challenge in their lives. He looked to the stars and the earth shimmering below, and waved to the world with a gentle smile.