Sometime in the not too distant past, young man stood on a beach, waiting. He was young in his mind, at least. His creaking joints and the burden of the past few years of war, disease, political violence and death had taken its toll on his soul. He thought back to those days, then shook his head. How much could a person take? He’s apparently not hit his limit, even though it had been very close a time or two. Stretched to the breaking point, but never quite breaking. It had taken a toll on his soul, though. His sense of wonder and imagination were…not gone, but muted somehow; inaccessible. The crashing of the waves and the moonlight over the ocean brought him back to where he was and what he was waiting for.
A few moments later, the beach was illuminated with a flickering light, and a ball of fire rose towards the heavens. A few seconds later, the rumble of the engines hit, powerful enough even at this distance to be felt in his chest. He stared, transfixed as the column of flame stretched towards the heavens. As he watched, he felt it suddenly re-emerge. He felt what he’d not felt in a long time-a rediscovered sense of wonder and imagination. A sense of hope for the future, for himself, his craft, his family and for the nation for which he’d given so much. A belief that with work, dedication and vision, anything is possible.
The young man left the beach with a smile on his face. Some of the years of stress, worry and heartache had melted away, and his head was once again filled with a hopeful vision for the future. His imagination was free again.
Have a great weekend, everyone.