The moon can wait

How much would you pay to go to the moon?

Personally, I wouldn’t pay anything. I don’t really have any desire to see the moon up close. There is something about being in space that completely terrifies me, the same kind of fear I get thinking about being at the bottom of the ocean. I think it’s the idea of being so far from everything familiar, so utterly alone.

I also can’t help but feel like a trip like that would be a bit over the top, especially with everything happening in the world right now. I remember when Katy Perry and a few other celebrities went into orbit, I wasn’t sure what I felt watching it unfold. Maybe embarrassment, maybe shame. The backlash was huge, and I understood why. The sheer amount of money spent on a few minutes in space could have done so much good back here on Earth.

So no, I’m happy right where I am, firmly grounded. The moon can stay exactly where it is, beautiful, mysterious, and very, very far away.