forty years ago, I got my hair cut for the first time. I was ten years old and my hair was long enough for me to sit on. While I have thin hair, I have a great deal of it and, being only 10, I really couldn't care of it adequately so my mother did it. Once washed and combed, I had to wait for hours for it to dry, sitting in the sun in the summer and in front of the fire in the winter.
It went from butt length to my chin compliments of my aunt. We were in Birmingham, a suburb of Detroit at the time. Once it was cut, we headed for the Detroit Zoo where my sister and brother got locked into the bird house at closing time. I spent the afternoon trying to adjust to my hair. It was a radical change. It was a long, full day.
Oh, yeah. This also happened on this date 40 years ago today:
Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.
That's one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.
Images and words that forever changed the face of the universe.
Before the landing, kids would look into the night sky and see the benevolent face of The Man in the Moon staring back at them. They pondered about green cheese and 'moon men'.
Forty years ago that all changed. We learned the moon was dusty and there were no 'moon men'. It may just be me but I don't hear kids talk about the man in the moon anymore.
Now we talk about going to Mars, exploring the ever expanding universe. We pay little attention to shuttle launches because they have somehow become routine. We talk cost/benefit ratios and ponder whether or not manned space flight has a future.
We forget that magical moment when man shed the bonds of Earth and touched the unknown.
One giant leap for mankind indeed.
9 comments:
i was glued to the television! Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin had the privledge of being the first and second man on the moon..it amazes me just thinking of it.
it will be 10 more years until we go back. I don't know if I will still be alive to see it but either way I hope it impresses the "next generation" on to space and how important it is.
I've got a similar post scheduled to go up today! (I tried to time mine to what the time Wikipedia said it was when we landed..but all the time zone stuff was confusing so I probably messed it up!)
No haircut for me that day...my cat had kittens, and of course, I named them astronaut type names!
DesLily -
We watched it as I was getting my hair cut, as I remember. My minute-by-minute time line may have gotten confused but not the fact that I got my hair cut that day. Even at the silly age of 10, I can remember knowing that everything had changed. As an adult, I can't understand why we gave up on the moon and didn't work on building a station there. Launching for other worlds would seem to be easier minus the gravity.
Kelly -
I mentioned the haircut because it was a big deal for me, but without the moon landing, there's no way I would ever have remembered the date, beyond the fact that it was when I was 10. The strangest fact? My ponytail is still up in my mother's cedar chest, wrapped in a newspaper proclaiming the moon landing.
cjh
Wow CJ--what a great post. I think that are certain events that you will remember for the rest of your life and how cool that you have several things to remember this date by. Unfortunately the only even that I can think of right now is 9/11. I was on the bus on the way to school and almost thought it was a radio joke. Honestly, who would drive a plane into the twin towers? I spent the rest of French class watching the news on the Internet. My mom can still remember where she was and what she was doing when Kennedy died--I think she was 5.
Trish -
There are those national events that make an impression on you, sometimes regardless of age.
I was 3 when President Kennedy was killed. I have vague memories of his funeral.
The moon landing is another.
Vietnam was big for me, too. I remember reading about body counts and protests. My social awareness began during teh Vietnam era.
I also remember the beginning of the Gulf War. Actually, I can remember the run up to the war. I felt, much like I did with the current war, so angry with Huessain for bringing the world to such a place. And then, the announcement: The war to liberate Kuwait has begun.
9/11 was the latest. Wouldn't it be nice if it was the last? I know it won't be but maybe the next moment to hit the national memory will be something positive - like the moon landing - instead of a disaster, like 9/11.
cjh
I don't remember the start of the Gulf War, but I do remember watching clips of it on TV (well, not clips, but you know what I mean). I do however remember the police chase with OJ Simpson. I was at a friend's house at the time. Funny the things you remember.
Hi CJ... Nothing to really add because I wasn't well, born yet, but I just wanted to say I am sorry I am not commenting. Your blog isn't showing up for me when it has new posts. I'll have to start checking it everyday. :)
Trish -
I was out at our family cabin watching OJ on a snowy Canadian channel.
Kailana -
That's strange. I wonder if anyone else is having the same problem?
cjh
Isn't it funny how we remember with such clarity the pieces of our youth? My hair was also quite a difficulty to manage, being very thick and very curly; it wasn't until my thirties that I really was able to make it look good. But now, I wouldn't trade it for the world. Are you at peace with yours?
I also remember the astronauts on the moon, and my class can never believe I am that old! They're in shock when I tell them we had to warm up the television first, and it was only in black and white.
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