On July 20, 1969 I was a young missionary in West Germany. My companion and I wanted to watch the live telecast of the moon landing. Having no television in our rented room, we arranged to watch the event with an elderly widow, Sister Mueller in her apartment.
As we watched with her, we were struck by the remarkable advance of technology during her lifetime. We were not so impolite to ask her age, but as we discussed the tremendous changes that had taken place in our world, she told us a story from her childhood.
She remembered the first radio that came to her village. Her father had bought it and brought it home. When he turned it on, everyone was amazed that a voice could be transmitted over many miles to come out of that wooden box. The most puzzled of all however, was Sister Mueller’s grandfather. He kept going outside to see who was standing outside the window and talking. His mind simply could not comprehend such a miracle as radio.
Now, his granddaughter was watching live, a man step onto the surface of the moon. She was as amazed as we were, but her perspective was that anything is possible in our world.
Each time I see something I was sure could never happen in my lifetime, I recall that afternoon watching the moon landing with Sister Mueller.
The New Yorker
2 years ago
So, we're just watching for the next miracle. No one can predict advances like these --black swans. I'm hoping for a cure for the tomato virus back east though --and something to save the bees.
ReplyDeleteLovely, Dad. I wish we could get you to tell more of these stories. I'm glad you're writing them down here.
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