Heroes, Real Ones

I have decided that if I am ever granted a super power, I would choose time travel.  If that is not a super power, I would use my super power to declare it one.  I would love to sit down with these seven men who all raised their hand eagerly to man a mission into space for the first time.  I looked at all those rockets, that space station and those teeny, tiny space capsules with a lump in my throat and such admiration for the men and women who sign on to work in them.  I stood with a space suit weighing heavily in my arms and wondered how they ever found the calm center they needed to find as it took more than four hours to put it on.  I got anxious just looking into the space capsule knowing that astronauts spent two weeks in them.  My car looks enormous in comparison.  I would ask these guys why they did it.  I suspect that they would tell me "because it was there".

I have a renewed sense of admiration and gratitude for space pioneers and the scientists and engineers who got them there.  I also have a deep respect for the folks at Space Camp who ignite imagination, innovation and the real sense of possibility.  Each camper is lead by a Space Camp Counselor.  I spent the week under the guidance and care of Wesley Kennedy.  You just won't find anyone else more knowledgeable about the space program.  His wife, Jennifer Kennedy (the 2002 Iowa Teacher of the Year) felt the same way when she met him at Space Camp for Educators. Their geeky love story is charming and inspirational. It is an absolute joy to hang out with people who have found their life's work, Wes is one of those guys.  Heroes love their work and it shows. "This is CAPCOM to Space Camp. Keep up the good work, over!"