I like the opportunity to travel the world and work in close

The words of Marc Garneau — “I like the opportunity to travel the world and work in close company with other people.” — are spoken with simplicity, yet they carry the weight of one who has walked among the stars and gazed upon the Earth as a single, fragile home. For Garneau was not only a statesman, but the first Canadian to soar into the heavens, an astronaut who understood both the vastness of the cosmos and the closeness of human fellowship. His words echo with the wisdom of experience: that life’s greatest treasures are not in solitude or possession, but in journey and connection.

To travel the world is not merely to cross distances, but to open the heart to diversity. The ancient ones always knew this. The caravans that wound across the Silk Road, the sailors who braved uncharted seas, the pilgrims who set forth toward sacred shrines — all returned with more than goods or stories. They returned with widened eyes and deeper souls. Garneau, who looked down upon continents without borders from orbit, understood that every step across the Earth, whether on land, sea, or in space, is a chance to encounter the human spirit in new forms.

But Garneau’s wisdom goes further: it is not only the journey, but the company that matters. To work “in close company with other people” is to embrace the truth that no great endeavor is achieved alone. On the shuttle, survival itself depended on trust, on collaboration, on harmony between crewmates. So it has always been — the builders of pyramids, the voyagers of great ships, the scientists in their hidden laboratories, the reformers who marched for justice — all achieved greatness because they stood together. Connection is not weakness; it is the very engine of achievement.

History provides us shining examples. Consider the Apollo 11 mission: Neil Armstrong may have placed the first human foot on the moon, but he did so with the strength of thousands behind him. Scientists, engineers, technicians, and dreamers worked as one. Their triumph was not the glory of a single man, but the collective glory of humanity united in purpose. This is the truth Garneau reveals: that to work alongside others is to multiply one’s strength beyond measure, to turn impossibility into destiny.

And there is a deeper wisdom still. To embrace others in close company requires humility. It requires listening, patience, and the willingness to share both burdens and victories. The warrior who fights alone may appear strong, but he will fall sooner than the warrior bound to his brothers and sisters. The traveler who journeys alone may discover much, but the traveler who journeys with companions discovers not only the land but also the joy of shared memory. Thus, the secret of Garneau’s words: greatness is born of both exploration and fellowship.

The lesson for us is clear. Seek the opportunity to travel, to step beyond the familiar and into the unknown. For every horizon crossed strengthens the soul. But also, treasure the people who walk beside you. Do not imagine that success is yours alone; see it as the fruit of cooperation, of countless hands and minds entwined. Celebrate both the path and the companions, for together they form the fabric of a meaningful life.

Practical wisdom follows: in your own life, venture outward. If you cannot circle the globe, then at least explore your city, your community, your neighbor’s story. Expand your horizon wherever you can. And when you work, do not seek only personal triumph, but harmony with those beside you. Learn from them, lift them, and let them lift you in return. For this is how ordinary lives are woven into extraordinary legacies.

So remember, child of tomorrow: the world is wide, and the heart of man is wider still. Embrace the chance to travel, to work, and to love the company of people. For in such things lies the secret of fulfillment, the recipe for peace, and the path toward greatness. This is the wisdom of Marc Garneau — astronaut, traveler, companion — and it is a wisdom that will endure as long as humanity journeys onward.