The Times We Live In

by David Benson, Educational Technology Consultant ()

Even though some people claim my new photograph makes me look very old, I'm still too young to remember when President Kennedy made a pledge to land a man on the moon before the end of the 1960s. However, I vividly remember watching Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin as the Eagle touched down and we left our first human imprint upon the surface of the moon. It was great entertainment to watch the events unfold on television before our very eyes. At that young age, I don't think my brother, my sister or I could really appreciate the knowledge, the skill and the courage needed to launch Apollo and land an astronaut on the moon.

Ah, but what times we lived in. We were truly inspired

Now Spirit has been sending us images and data from the surface of Mars and soon its twin, Opportunity, will be doing the same. And just like it was back when Commander Armstrong made that first step onto the moon, I have been watching the images from Spirit with excited anticipation. For me, it doesn't matter what others think about the space program, I still find myself excited anytime a new exploration mission is launched.

Ah, but what times we live in. It is still truly inspiring.

But inspiration doesn't have to come from such big and powerful projects; it can come from more earthbound subjects. I had one teacher who inspired me to observe the world around me and to write about it, another who inspired me to become involved with photography, and still another who inspired me to take chances.

Inspiration can come from many places; all it takes is one person encouraging another in his or her pursuits. Missions and images from Mars can be very inspiring, but so can you, and that's very powerful.

If you're interested in the Mars exploration, we're airing Passport to Knowledge: First Look on Friday, Feb. 13 at 10 am. Read more about it.