by Dennis C. Foster,
December 11, 2022
December 11th, what a great day in Space! Today, the Artemis I mission completed a voyage around the moon, as the Orion capsule splashed down in the Pacific Ocean. On this day, 50 years ago, the final Apollo mission, Apollo 17, touched down on the moon and the first of three incredible “moon rides” began. What an inspiration the Apollo program was to me. Those men, and Dr. Von Braun, were my heroes. So, here is my story. It is a story about my childhood dream of working in the Space Program and achieving my goal. Thanks to the encouragement of my amazing Mom, I used to read Tom Swift space traveler books and send my rocket designs to the National Inventors Council. There was no NASA then! I was so thrilled to receive letters back, and a brochure about being an Aerospace Engineer. I vividly remember the launch of the Russian Sputnik satellite in 1957. I was only nine years old! Thanks to Dr. Wernher Von Braun and his team of rocket scientists and engineers, we caught up with and overtook the Russians in no time. In high school, I planned my math and science courses well, with the aid of a truly great academic counselor, Mr. Comeaux, and my Geometry teacher, Mrs. Mary Murtagh. I used to build rockets when I was in high school and study articles on what made rockets work. Those were fun days, getting up at 5:00 AM with my telescope or heading to City Park for a rocket launch. One day, our Slide Rule Club took a field trip to the Mississippi Test Facility, where NASA performed engine tests on the Saturn rockets. One summer, as an engineering student at LSUNO, I got a job with Boeing at the Michoud Assembly Plant, supporting tests on the Saturn V moon rocket. I was “on the moon” then! Later, in college, as a student at Alabama, I was studying Aerospace Engineering when Astronaut Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. It was an exciting time! It left footprints in my heart! And, I am so happy to have fulfilled my dream of working in the Space Program. Yes, dreams do come true, if you have a “burning desire” to fulfill them! I sincerely hope that I can help this generation of space enthusiasts to dream big dreams, to fly above the darkest clouds and that those “footprints” will remain in their hearts, as we go to the Moon, Mars, and beyond! Hope that you enjoy this story set to music, a song that comes from the heart! Footprints in My Heart.
CLICK TO:
Watch and Listen to Video of Footsteps In My Heart
FOOTSTEPS IN MY HEART
First Verse:
So young, and dreaming big dreams, of journeys so far beyond the skies.
Watching, your ev’ry footstep, and gazing upward, with eager eyes.
Chorus:
You, were the one, who taught me to believe, and you were one who stirred me to achieve.
To rise above those earthly bonds and reach for every star, and since you took that one small step, those footprints still remain, in my heart.
Bridge
Second Verse:
Life has, so many pathways, so many wonders to be explored,
I’ve walked, within your footprints, seeking answers, and opening ev’ry door.
Chorus:
You, were the one, who taught me how to soar, and you were the one who helped me
reach for more,
To fly above the darkest clouds and walk upon a distant sea, and since you took, that
giant leap, those footprints still remain, in my heart today.
Coda:
I’ve lived, a marv’lous lifetime, discovering new worlds, my footprints left
behind.
Ending:
You. were the one, who gave me hope, and now I’ve walked untrodden trails, and traveled to the farthest realms of life, lead by those footprints in my heart.
Music and Lyrics by Dennis Collins Foster
April 30, 2019
