young astronaut

In order for my days off to change from Sunday/Monday to Tuesday/Wednesday, I had to work seven days in a row, so I haven't really felt like posting. Then yesterday I spent organizing my last few boxes of paperwork, thesis stuff, bills needed filing, etc. That took forever to accomplish, it felt like! I have caused many trees to die, but now those trees are neatly filed in several filing drawers.

Among my crazy, mixed-up files I found papers from my childhood. Report cards, homework pieces, art projects, and books. My favorite piece might be the Young Astronaut Passport:



At the age of seven years, I was a part of the Young Astronauts Club at my school. As far as I can remember, it was an afterschool, extracurricular club for elementary students to learn about space. I don't know if it were the space exploration part, the fact that I felt like a big kid (because I got to stay after school with the big kids), or the sugar straws that we got at the end of each club meeting, but finding the passport reminded me of a very positive childhood memory.

I now feel that even though I did not grow up to be an astronaut, I continue with exploration in a different sense. I continue learning. And I try to instill the sense of wonder, a sense of exploration in youth that I work with today. So maybe one day they will grow up to be an astronaut. Or a park ranger.



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