Dear Grandkids,
There are not many movies that I like to watch more than one time. And there are not many movies that make me cry. But the movie Apollo 13 fits both of these categories. Apollo 13 the movie ironically is based on Apollo 13 the lunar spacecraft, that suffered a severe malfunction on its journey to the moon but miraculously returned safely to earth.
The reason why this comes to mind is because 48 years ago today, in 1970, Apollo 13 landed safely back in the Pacific Ocean. Now back in 1970 space exploration was a really big deal. In fact, in April of 1970 the U.S. was only 9 months away from its historic Apollo 11 landing on the moon. Our country was in the middle of what was known as the “Cold War” with the Soviet Union and the space race was, for us at least, a matter of national pride. So on the one hand what happened to Apollo 13 was a devastating failure. But on the other hand, even though the mission was aborted, NASA classified it as a “successful failure” because of the experience gained in rescuing the crew.
A “successful failure.” It’s an interesting phrase and one that you need to know because there will be many times in the years to come when you will fail. But failure only defines you if you let it. But if you let failure be your teacher then you will do some extraordinary things. Here are a few examples that you might want to read up on sometime:
- The Wright brothers crashed numerous flight tests before they got one to fly only about 30 feet.
- Winston Churchill failed the sixth grade and was defeated in every public office role he ran for.
- Thomas Edison’s teachers told him he was “too stupid to learn anything.”
- Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.”
But here are also a few verses from Scripture that are worth pondering:
Isaiah 40:30-31
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Psalm 145:13-14
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises
and faithful in all he does.
14 The Lord upholds all who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.
One day we’ll sit down and watch Apollo 13 together. In the mean time…
Never ever forget that you are very loved!
Pop Pop
