Jillian here. This weekend marked the 45th anniversary of the “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” trip to the moon. Do you remember where you were when it happened? It’s one of those pivotal moments in history where people seem to recall exactly where they were when it occurred.
My dad and I got into a discussion about this yesterday. He said he’d been searching his memory banks because he couldn’t recall where he was on that date and it was driving him crazy. I saved the man from losing his mind because I remembered. I was eight years old but I remember exactly where we were. As soon as I started telling him, he recalled, too.
We lived right outside Washington, D.C at the time but we were visiting my grandparents in northern Alabama. We were at their house on the Tennessee River which we always called the lake house. We watched it on television and then went outside, sat in lawn chairs and peered up at the sky talking about the men up there and whether or not, when the moon eventually became full, if we’d be able to see the USA flag up there. It was a fun, fanciful evening as we even joked about the man in the moon hanging out with them and offering them green cheese to eat. How in the heck my dad forgot all that, I’ll never know. LOL
So, do you remember where you were? I’d love to hear. And we won’t even get in to the conversation about whether it was all a hoax. I prefer to believe it really happened.
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Faye Avalon
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I didn’t realize that we lived in NoVa at the same time…I was in Falls Church at the time, but one just didn’t stay in one’s neighborhood there. Although there are so very many people there, I have to wonder if our paths had crossed at some point; we’ll never know. My husband lived in Arlington and we found that we used to pass each other’s houses all the time, but we did not meet until years later. He had moved to other states and gone to Portugal but we ended up living not far from each other in Annandale, (actually he was in Fairfax.)
As for the Moonwalk, I was 14 and my family’s life was changing rapidly. I really hope the walk was real.
I was in Stafford. I doubt our paths crossed even though Falls Church wasn’t too terribly far from us.
I remember being clued to the TV. I really thought at the time, we’d see space pioneers in the near future.
Wouldnât that have been cool, Lavada?
I traveled around a lot and you just never know. Did you read about the engaged couple who were going through her family photos and found a picture of her family at Disney World? Her fiance realized that the family passing behind her family just as the picture was snapped was HIS family! Both had gone to Florida from another state and they did not know each other. What was the likelihood of that happening at that moment in time,with the thousands of people, at any other day of the year in or at any other day the families could have gone, at any other second that picture could have been snapped? You just never know. We won’t.
I love that story, Tonette! Someone once told me about two families passing each other at a bus terminal. The family with the little boy were getting on a bus as the family with the little girl were getting off. The little boy was enamored with the little girl and watched her until the bus left the depot. Years latter they met as adults. I can’t remember what proof they had that they’d met at the bus terminal, but I’ve always liked that story. I like the idea that our paths can cross with those we are meant to meet in life especially the one we are to marry.
I was at home and enthralled by the news. I STILL go watch Walter Kronkite’s footage occasionally. It was amazing! And I just knew back then that in the year 2000, I’d be 45 and that wasn’t too old to be exploring the universe. I was going to do it!
Then I grew up…but I still smile at the huge plans I made.
I love it that you planned to adventure into space. Thatâs awesome. Too bad you didnât get to take that trip!
I was just a toddler, so I’m pretty sure I was fast asleep in my crib!! 😛 All I have of this event are news articles and TV news clips. Still, it’s an incredible part of our history and I am so glad it happened during my lifetime. I’m glad you are your dad took that trip down memory lane, Jillian. We all need those trips now and then…especially with our parents.
A toddler sleeping and maybe dreaming of space exploration? Lol. And yeah, it’s an awesome part of history. I love walks down memory lane with my parents for sure.
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I watched on my then boyfriend’s TV. It was a great day, like a party. Sadly the boyfriend and I parted ways after that.
I was at home, helping with housework whilst my mother was away visiting family in Germany. Remember sitting glued to TV screen watching it all, fascinated and enthralled.
Awesome Kit. I think lots of us were fascinated, weren’t we? It was exciting.
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