Artemis II: A Lesson in Excellence, Humanity, and Perspective

The Artemis II launch this week was one of those rare moments that reminded me of the profundity of simply being alive, and astronaut Victor Glover's message from space made it even more profound....

I was so excited this week watching Artemis II. Space launches always make me emotional.

The amount of work that goes into something like this is awe-inspiring. And not just in the abstract, “wow, science!” kind of way.

I mean everyone.

The scientists, the welders, the food teams, the janitorial staff, the mathematicians, the engineers, the physicists. The teachers and professors who shaped the minds and hands that made this possible. The families and friends supporting those doing the work.

It’s this massive, living ecosystem of people showing up and striving for excellence together. 

And it felt really, really good to be excited about something that embodies that kind of excellence.

People committed to something bigger than themselves. Masters of their craft.

Friends and I were texting about it all day. We watched the launch together, nervous about the battery issue, "hell yeah"-ing the words of space launch director, Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, "On this historic mission, you take with you the heart of this Artemis team, the daring spirit of the American people and our partners across the globe, and the hopes and dreams of a new generation. Good luck, Godspeed Artemis II, let's go!"

Living in South Florida, I ran outside afterward, looking up at the sky with my neighbors to see if we could catch a glimpse. We didn’t see it, but we high-fived, because it went off safely. That alone felt like enough.

Victor Glover's Easter Message from Space

Yesterday, thousands of miles from home, the pilot of Artemis II, Captain Victor Glover (who may be the coolest person alive…), was asked if he wanted to share an Easter message, similar to what the Apollo 8 crew did decades ago for Christmas Eve.

I want to share his message: (you can watch/listen here)

“You know, I don’t have anything prepared... I’m glad you brought that up, though. I think these observances are important and as we are so far from earth and looking at it… the beauty of creation, I think for me one of the really important personal perspectives that I have up here, I can really see earth as one thing. And you know, now when I read the Bible and I look at all of the amazing things that we’re done for us, who were created, it’s you, you have this amazing place, this spaceship… 

you guys are talking to us, because we’re in a spaceship really far from earth, but you’re on a spaceship called Earth that was created to give us a place to live in the universe, in the cosmos. Maybe the distance we are from you makes you think what we’re doing is special, but we’re the same distance from you, and I’m trying to tell you, just trust me. 

You are special in all of this emptiness. 

This is a whole bunch of nothing, this thing we call the universe. You have this oasis, this beautiful place that we get to exist together. 

I think as we go into Easter Sunday, thinking about you know all the cultures all around the world, whether you celebrated or not, whether you believe in God or not, this is an opportunity for us to remember where we are, who we, are and that we are the same thing and that we gotta get through this together.”

You are already on the mission.

You’re already here.

We spend so much time trying to get somewhere else.

A different version of ourselves.

A different life.

A different outcome.

And there’s nothing wrong with growth, I’m obviously a big fan :) 

But sometimes, in that pursuit, we forget to orient ourselves to where we already are.

You are an important part of something bigger.

Your life is happening now, not at some future moment.

You don’t have to earn your way into being worthy of being here.

The world is a beautiful place if you allow it to be.

If You’re Open To It…

Where are you already part of something meaningful?

Who are the people you’re connected to, even in small ways?

What are you not noticing now because your focus is set on a future goal?

Have a wonderful day, whatever you’re doing.

And remember, we belong to each other.