On July 20, 1969 at approximately 10:56pm Eastern Standard Time, Neil Armstrong stepped out of the lunar lander and placed his foot on the moon, becoming the first man to walk on the celestial body. At that time, he famously declared, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Many have written over the years in attempts to dissect and discern the reasons why Armstrong chose these words. This is especially true in light of the fact that his statement is grammatically incorrect and not what he intended to say. What he had planned to say was, “That’s one small step for A man, one giant leap for mankind.”
I’m willing to guess that most of us didn’t notice Armstrong’s mistake, at least not without some level of assistance. I mean, I love grammar, and understand how it works in several languages, and even when told there was a mistake, it took me a while to see it. That’s because in the light of the immensity of the moment and the grandeur of Armstrong’s achievement, the omission of a word doesn’t really impact the meaning of that moment. We all understand that sometimes, “one small step” can, in fact, constitute “one giant leap.”
In a world that has been turned upside down by a global pandemic, any progress towards normalcy feels monumental.
This morning, it feels like we took one such step in Seymour, Indiana. Today was the first Monday since last fall that everyone in my family got up, got dressed, and headed out to school physically. For the longest time, it was part of a rote and mindless routine. It is an incredibly small thing in the grand scheme of things, but today it felt giant to me. In a world that has been turned upside down by a global pandemic, any progress towards normalcy feels monumental. No one would have guessed a year ago that such an everyday, ordinary activity would be a sign of healing, absolutely saturated with hope. But, here we are, and I, for one, will take it!
I am fully aware that we still have a long way to go. There are still many weeks of mask wearing and social distancing before us. Limitations for group gathering and reduced capacities for local establishments will still be in place for the foreseeable future. It is right and proper that we continue to demonstrate a modicum of caution and compassion as we do what we can to move beyond the virus. No matter how giant the leap may feel, it is still just one step on the journey. That being said, at least we’re making progress.
In the end, though, every giant leap is composed of a series of small steps. That was the point Mr. Armstrong was trying to make as he stepped out of the lunar lander. What he was attempting to communicate, and what most of us understood, grammatical faux pas and all, was that while the distance from the lander to the lunar surface was very small, the amount of combined effort and energy it took to be able to take that one step was nearly incalculable. That one step was only possible because of the determination, service, and sacrifice of a larger conglomeration of humanity.
I’ve learned numerous lessons through the insanity of the last year. The greatest of these, however, is to hold onto hope when I find it.
I’ve learned numerous lessons through the insanity of the last year. The greatest of these, however, is to hold onto hope when I find it. It is so easy to take for granted the good things that God brings into our lives when everything is going right. It is also easier to feel the glorious weight of a win when it feels like all you’re doing is losing. This week, I’m praising the Lord for the small step of my kids going back to school on-site and in-person. I’m grateful for all of the teachers, administrators, and supplemental staff that have helped make it possible. I’m also grateful to the countless members of our community who have sacrificed and made great efforts to help us make forward progress. While it is but a small step for a man or woman, it has the feeling of a giant leap for me. I’m just stoked to have a step in a positive direction.
