Keep the Dream Alive...

Astronaut Charles "Sam" Gemar wrote “Keep the Dream Alive” in my daughter Mack’s school notebook, and he said the same thing to me during our coffee in NYC a month ago. These words in my daughter's notebook and my meeting with Sam have been inspirational for me and my daughter.

During our conversation, Sam clarified that he never knew he would be an astronaut, but he had that dream and kept it alive during his childhood in South Dakota and his service in the Army.

Many kids dream of becoming astronauts, but Sam's story is a testament to the rarity and selectivity of this career path. It requires a decade of preparation and meeting NASA's stringent qualifications. The odds may be slim, but the pursuit of your dream is always worth it.

Soon, you won't need to be an astronaut to go to space, and I stress that to my daughter and son. They have an even better chance to visit space than I did, so the dream is more attainable. My dream now is that I will be alive to join them. It is a dream I think about often and will keep alive thanks to Sam.

?