The Extraordinary

While the US sits in the every tightening grip of the 2016 Presidential election, it would be very easy to just soak in what the candidates have to say and come to the conclusion that America really is screwed.

I choose not to believe that.

I lean with Warren Buffett who in his annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders said, “the babies being born in America today are the luckiest crop in history.”  I believe this because of what happened this week.
Astronaut Scott Kelly safely returned from 340 consecutive days in space. He came back a little taller (1.5 inches but after being on Earth he has since returned to his normal height) and a little younger (1/100th of a second). While these may not seem all that impressive what is impressive is that humans can accomplish this feat of going to space, living for almost a full calendar year and then return safely. It is also impressive that a private company can launch and land a rocket it has used before within inches of where it is supposed to be.

This may not seem like all that big of a deal to some but the science, math, creativity, logic and engineering to accomplish these things was unimaginable a few short years ago much less a decade or two ago. The question then becomes, what else can we accomplish? Curing of cancer? Slowing of global warming? All, I believe, are within our reach.

So before you buy in to what Trump, Sanders, Cruz and Clinton are spewing remember to yourself, humanity can go to space and return safely. We may not be so doomed after all. We can accomplish the extraordinary.

Watch ‘A Year In Space’