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Comfortable Astronauts

Benjamin and Nicholas love all things space. The boys were both astronauts for Halloween, and last May we took a trip to Kennedy Space Center. We even saw a rocket launch. They build spaceships out of pillows and blankets in the basement, love looking at the stars at night, and can tell you all sorts of facts about space.

I’ve blogged before about how much Benjamin, especially, is all about space. He decided a few years ago that he wants to be an astronaut when he grows up, and has yet to change his mind. In fact, he wants to pilot the first rocket to Mars. I believe him wholeheartedly.

Every once in awhile, Pierre or I will show the boys a video or show about space. They’ve seen simulations of  Curiosity Rover as it landed on Mars and, over Christmas, we watched the live space walk conducted by the astronauts on the International Space Station, which Ben thought was beyond amazing (at least for the ten minutes that it kept him attention!). The last time that the movie Apollo 13 was on television, Pierre recorded it on the DVR. We’ve since showed the boys the launch scene a dozen or so times, but that didn’t stop Nicholas from asking to see it again this afternoon. Pierre was more than happy to show him. Nothing better than watching a big, loud rocket hurl into space. My three boys snuggled together on the couch, and got set to watch Tom Hanks blast-off.

As the engines roared and flames erupted from the bottom of the rocket, I found myself wondering how the real Apollo 13 astronauts, Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert (or any astronaut for that matter!) must have felt in that moment. Nervous? Excited? Exhilarated? I would have been absolutely terrified. Out-of-my-mind petrified. I can barely fly in a plane, forget about a rocket.
I looked at Ben, who was completely engrossed in the scene in front of him. I wondered if he was picturing himself in one of those seats, white flight gear on, helmet in place, feeling the rumble of the jets beneath him.

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“Ben, how do you think those astronauts are feeling right now?” I asked, expecting him to reply something like excited or, maybe, scared. I never would have guessed the answer that he gave:

“Well Mommy,” Ben replied. “I think the astronauts are feeling comfortable.”

 Comfortable? Comfortable. Really? Comfortable?! Granted, Benjamin is six-years-old and may not yet be able to understand or articulate the intense emotions of the moment. But, he's also a pretty empathetic kid with a very big vocabulary, so maybe he gets it more than I know.

Ben thinks that a rocket launch looks comfortable. He might just be destined to be an astronaut after all.

xo Naomi

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