Untethered

To boldly go . . .

It was a phrase I'd said

Every night as a child

With my head tilted upward

Toward the distant stars

But I find myself repeating it now

With amazement

And new appreciation

As I watch the flashing lights

On the display board

Slowly change from red to green

I imagine I can hear the hiss of escaping air

As the great hatch opens

Feel its rush upon my skin

Despite both readings and common sense which say

The enviro-suit's protective seal is still in place

And the sounds are just extraneous noise

From the oxygen pumps strapped to my back

Then as the view unfolds

The adrenaline hits

And I feel myself trembling

With that heady mix of excitement and fear

That precedes a journey into the unknown

A whole new universe lies

Outside that door

Beckoning me

Challenging me to seize the dream

And boldly go . . .

I have come so far

But I must grow

So gently, urgently

I push myself through the portal, and

With no tether left to hold me back

Take my first small step

Outside the cradle

The universe expands before me

Life can never be the same