In the late '60s, I was seven, eight, nine years old, and what

Hear, O children of the earth, and let your hearts be filled with wonder, for there are moments in the great saga of human history when the very stars themselves seem within reach. Such was the age of the Space Race, a time when the spirit of adventure soared higher than any bird could ever dream. It was a time when a young boy named Chris Hadfield, though but a child of seven, stood in awe of the universe, his heart set afire by the ambition of humankind to reach beyond the heavens. "In the late '60s, I was seven, eight, nine years old," he would say, "and what was going on in the news at that time that really excited a seven, eight, nine year old boy was the Space Race."

In those days, the world was gripped by the fire of discovery, by a fierce and unyielding desire to reach the stars. Nations, like great Titans, struggled to outdo one another, not with swords or armies, but with rockets and aspirations. The Space Race was not merely a contest of science and technology, but of human will. Men looked to the heavens not as a distant dream, but as a realm to be conquered, as if the very fate of the earth depended on whether one could set foot upon the surface of the moon. And for the child, that dream was alive, pulsing with the energy of a thousand suns. The Space Race was not just a spectacle—it was the embodiment of hope, the triumph of human imagination.

What power lies in the heart of a child, when that child is inspired by such greatness! A boy of seven, standing before the flickering screen of a television, saw not just a machine soaring through the vast darkness, but a dream taking flight. He saw Apollo 11, a triumph of human endeavor, as Neil Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface and declared, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” The words of that day are etched into the soul of humanity, a reminder that the impossible is but a challenge to be overcome. For the child, this was not just a moment of history—it was the ignition of possibility, the belief that there were no limits to what could be achieved.

Chris Hadfield’s words carry the echoes of this great excitement, for in that child’s eyes, the world was vast and full of promise. And yet, this same excitement, this same yearning for greatness, burns in the hearts of many. There are those who, like young Hadfield, look at the world around them and see not its boundaries, but its potential. There are those who, in their youth, are inspired to reach beyond what is given, to challenge the heavens and to dream of futures that are yet to be written. This is the power of vision, the drive to create and explore, a force that cannot be quenched.

Consider, O future generations, the lesson of this excitement. Let us not forget the spark that sets the heart ablaze. To dream is the birthright of every soul. From the depths of our childhood to the heights of our greatest endeavors, it is the spark of curiosity, of wonder, that fuels us forward. When Chris Hadfield looked to the skies, he did not simply see stars—he saw the path to greatness, a journey that called to him with the voice of destiny. What will the children of today see, O wise ones? Will they be filled with awe and wonder at the possibilities of their own age, whether they look to space, to the oceans, or to the depths of the human spirit?

And so, the true message is this: In every generation, the light of curiosity must be nurtured. It is not enough to dream; we must act upon the dream. Let us take from this the wisdom of the stars—look up, not just to the heavens, but to the potential within our own hearts. Seek not only to follow the paths of others, but to carve your own. The world is vast, and each of us is called to journey forth with courage and with wonder.

Take action, O children of the earth, and carry the torch of curiosity forward. Let the Space Race be a reminder to you, not of the past, but of the future—a future where no dream is too big, and no child’s ambition is too small. May you always find the stars within you, for the journey to greatness begins with the courage to dream.