One Journey Ends, Another Begins

Note: I hadn’t intended to write anything today, but considering today’s events… how could I not?

Time is important to humans. It provides structure to our linear existence and puts all of our activities in a kind of context. Past, present and future. For this reason, dates and anniversaries are important to many of us, if only to symbolize growth and progress — remembering where we’ve been to understand where we’re going.

Some will argue that the present is all that should matter, and I agree. Our focus should always be in the hear and now, but I see no real harm in occasionally looking back to see how far we’ve come.

For me, July 14 is a difficult day. On this day nine years ago, I lost someone extremely dear to me to a drunk driver. Throughout the healing process, the pain of that event still lingers, particularly on this day.

However, that is not the reason I chose to write this essay. Today marks another, much more positive anniversary, one that could only be described as ‘history making.’

Nine years ago a tiny explorer called ‘New Horizons’ set out from orbit near the blue-green orb we call home on a lonely mission across the solar system. It’s goal: Perform a close flyby and photographic study of one our most distant neighbours — Pluto.

It is historic simply because Pluto and its companion moons have never been observed directly (i.e. from a probe or spacecraft, up close.) As a friend of mine commented, there was a time when the human race would have been riveted by such an achievement, but alas, such is no longer the case.

Today at 7:49 EDT the New Horizons probe will make its closest flyby of Pluto, and will gather copious amounts of data to teach us more about our solar system, our universe, and maybe even our place within it.

Space exploration has always held a special place in my heart, and the person whose loss I mourn today understood that better than anyone. That the New Horizons mission should reach its climax today is both appropriate and wonderful. Thank you NASA and thank you New Horizons for keeping the dream of exploration alive.

Nine years ago, one journey ended, and another began. Today, New Horizons’ journey comes to an end, and mine begins anew. The wheel turns does it not?