Let's start with Neil Armstrong, who was the first man to walk on the moon. I just teared up. The FIRST...MAN...to WALK....ON the MOON!!! It was 1969 when he made this 'one giant leap for mankind,' and I can't help losing my breath thinking about all the inventions and risks and determination and calculations that were behind putting three guys in the tip of a rocket and sending them some 250,000 miles away to step on a cold and lifeless world trapped in our gravity. It wasn't that far back in our history when people wondered what that thing was shining in the night sky. I hope I never get used to that fact. I hope I'm always amazed at such a human accomplishment as I am today. Neil, you're the man. (Buy an astronaut T-shirt at
STORE.CHRISRICE.COM)
Next comes Lance Armstrong. Seven Tour De France wins, and an inspiring example of another kind of human accomplishment. Pushing one's own body to its limits and constantly improving physically. Being the very best in the world at something, seven times! Oh yeah, and throw in the challenge of dealing with cancer. I just teared up again. Lance, you're the man.
Ok, one more Armstrong to complete the list: Louis. You know, Satchmo. I almost daily hear his never-to-be-matched voice in my head singing those happy words, "...and I think to myself, what a wonderful world." Mr. Armstrong, it IS a wonderful world.
And my three favorite Armstrongs have done their part to make it a little more that way. Thanks, guys.
