really good news

the correlation between artemis ii + increased demand for kleenex

Apr 11, 2026

The world released a collective exhale with the return of the Artemis II crew.

It seems that no matter what war, dispute, or hatred poisons the land, we are unified by the awe of human capability. We are children gazing into the realm of possibility once more, thanks to the courageous, the brave, the bold.

The brain holds locational memory very well when it comes to extraordinary events. Where were you on April 1, 2026? The day of the full Pink Moon in the sign of Libra. The first full moon of Spring of the Fire Horse year.

I was in my classroom of 7th grade students – the noisiest class of all. Always distracted, ceaselessly talking amongst themselves.

Lessons on grammar became insignificant as the clock ticked down to liftoff. I pulled up the live stream on YouTube for students to watch.

Their eyes widened and mouths were held slightly agape.

Silence.

The gravity of this moment was not lost on these young children, and I must admit that that in and of itself was enough to make me emotional. The bell rang for lunch, but the countdown to flight was still ticking, and they stayed. They knew that this was one of those moments.

We watched as the fire billowed from underneath the launching rocket… the bolsters detached… and they heroically exited Earth’s atmosphere.

Bolsters separate from Artemis II :: Photo by Joey Volpe

As these astronauts’ expedition around the far side of the moon transpired, we learned so much about them. We heard their interviews from somewhere thousands of miles away in the galaxy, a voice in the vacuum.

I think it is safe to make the blanket statement that these four individuals represented true leadership, and as such, were perhaps one of the most rejuvenating breaths of fresh air that has filtered through our news channels in time immemorial.

We witnessed tenacity and conviction. Years of arduous work reaching its pinnacle.

We witnessed camaraderie. Joyful collaboration. The result of countless people, contributions impossible to quantify.

We witnessed humor and levity. One of the best images is of these astronauts with their eclipse glasses on. It is remarkably relatable and oh so comical. Of all that fancy NASA equipment that exists, here they are wearing the same eye protection that is reminiscent of what we might put on during a 3D movie.

Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover :: NASA

We witnessed true love. The story of Reid Wiseman and his late wife. Naming a fresh crater Carroll in honor of her…

… and to learn that request was voiced by Jeremy Hansen.

It was a collective decision; it was not made in vain.

It makes a person cry those deep, heavy sobs that only a film such as Marley and Me can adequately stir up.

My grandfather and I often communicate via the moon. I think this is a language that began many, many years ago. I recall my family leaving his + my grandmother’s house. There was no such thing as leaving their home without a farewell from the front porch.

We would look up at the moon, and my grandpa would say: “Do you see the man in the moon? There’s a face if you look at it just right…” It took me many tries before I could do so.

A few years ago, he introduced me to Billie Holliday’s “I’ll Be Seein’ You”. A song about seeing a beloved person, though physically absent, in many of the ordinary day’s experiences. A sparkle of remembrance in the mundane. One of those things is the moon. I’ll be lookin’ at the moon, but I’ll be seein’ you… Reid’s tribute to his wife brings an entirely new dimension to that song.

Reid Wiseman + The Moon :: NASA

Victor Glover connected us all even further with his words.

“I hope we push that one day… it’s about human history, humanity, not ‘black history’, not ‘women’s history’, but that it becomes human history.”

And yesterday, all four of them successfully sealed that extended stride for humanity. Looking at infographics of what occurs for the astronauts’ return to the earthly plane is absolutely mindblowing. The burn… the silent, communication-less hurtling through space at 25,000 mph… parachuting to a soft landing in the Pacific… retrieved by Navy seals.

How does it feel to move in a vehicle going that fast? What is happening on a cellular level?

And then to have your feet planted down on Earth once again?

It is simply unbelievable. Difficult to comprehend.

The funny thing is those infographics are made for those of us that do not speak the language of physics or engineering. To think of the precision of detail… the compounding of learning over many centuries even…

And my goodness! How exciting it has been for researchers that might not have physically been in space but are just as much a part of its discovery. Upon hearing from the Artemis II crew that they witnessed multiple flashes on the moon made by meteors, this lunar scientist’s delight is palpable.

Footage inside NASA’s mission control

She responds to the crew: “Um, amazing news. I literally just looked over at the [?] and they were jumping up and down literally.”

Their homecoming yesterday was, as already stated, a collective exhale.

They made it.

Every

‘little’

thing

that required precise operation did. It was a convergence of intellect and destiny, will and opportunity, determination and chance.

It swept the globe with hope. It reminded us all of how it feels to revel in really good news. It made us pause, deeply present in our collective gaze toward the sky. Enchanted by the possibility of what can be… together.