The Moon Landing

Always wanting to be an astronaut, Apollo 11 was getting ready to successfully put the first two men on the moon. It was late at night; indeed, it was around 2 a.m. in the early morning. My parents were letting me stay up late to watch the event. And my grandmother was right by my side.

My mother's parents moved into our home due to their advancing years and blindness that struck my grandmother. She spent over three years with us before passing due to complications from surgery. She was able to navigate through the house after having learned where all the furniture was placed. Most days she couldn't see the difference between night and day. In some ways I became her eyes. I would read the newspaper to her every morning before going to school. I got to choose what stories to read to her and how to shape her interpretation of the events of the world.

That evening she was as excited as I about the first men landing on the moon. She wanted, no, she depended upon me to give her a moment by moment description of every frame on the television screen. I did my best, but how can you describe the moon landing to a blind person? I did my best but how can you describe advanced technology to a blind woman in her eighties? I did my best, and for four hours we sat and "watched" live television that was allowing us to be present at this stupendous moment.

I'll never forget her words as we were preparing to go to our separate bedrooms. "I saw the first automobile in our county. I got to ride in a bi-plane at the county fair. We owned one of the first radios in the county. We then owned one of the first televisions in the county. We had one of the first private telephone lines in the county. And now I got to watch the first men land on the moon. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."

Forty years ago I learned that we have the ability of shaping how others see the world. Forty years ago I learned about interpretation and how I can present in such a way to tint another's view. I owe this to my grandmother. Whenever out in public she would place her arm on mine and I would steer her through shopping centers and restaurants. She never lost eye movement and never wore sunglasses. If you didn't know she was blind you would never have guessed. She did well as long as a trusted arm was there. And she still was able to explore the moon through the eyes of her grandchild.

You and I paint how others see the world even today. How can you explain this economic recession to a young child? How can you help them to understand illness? We tell them what life is like and how their world is to be. We tint their interpretations of events both big and small. We tell them what is important and what is not. We tell them when to remain fearful and when to laugh and celebrate in life.

And in some ways, we paint the moon for them.