[Summer Storm Pictures]

As a ''first generation'' Star Trek fan, I found myself looking at the newest trailer realizing that this new adventure was only two short months away. In my mind's eye, I saw all the familiar faces I grew up with when I thought of the intrepid heroes like Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Uhura, Scotty, Sulu and Chekov. And then I saw all these new faces and realized that ''the times, they are a-changin'''...

And I was okay with that.

Star Trek is a journey defined by the very two words describing it. It is not a destination. It belongs to the ages and continues to explore the human adventure. It belongs to the ''star child'' inside all of us who long ago watched excitedly and with wonder as Neil Armstrong stepped onto the Moon on a mid-summer's day in late July, 1969--and who were that much more excited to watch the next Star Trek episode of the original series, not knowing perhaps that we had just seen last one ever to be made only a month prior to that (June 3rd, 1969).

Part of the magic of Star Trek is that it ''never dies.'' The voyage never ends and it belongs not just to one person, or generation, or color, or culture, or religion or nation, but rather lives forever in the imaginations of all who have been inspired by it--all of us, young and young at heart--all of us who inhabit this small blue island of air--all of us who turn our eyes to the night skies and ask, ''are we alone?''

Look how far we've come in all those years. Look at the big picture and realize the history ''first generation'' Star Trek fans have been privileged to live through. Star Trek is a part of that journey. We are a part of that journey. Humanity is that journey.

Even in the midst of a nation beset in turmoil, one man, a veteran of a world war and of ''the greatest generation'', looked up at that same night sky full of glimmering hope and possibility and asked, ''are we alone?''

The original Star Trek series inspired us ''first generation'' fans and gave us hope. Even as the ''magic flickering box'' on which our eyes, wide with wonder, watched intrepid heroes of all colors voyage to the stars, so too did eyes full of tears also watch cannons spray water hatefully on those of color. Just three short decades later, only a couple months ago, we watched once again, but this time as ''cannons of honor'' fired, and in unison, a twenty-one gun salute as a someone of color swore to protect, serve and defend the very people that once discriminated against his forebears.

At its core, this is the essence of Star Trek. This is the kind of hope and optimism that keeps us looking to the future, knowing that no matter what, no matter what happens and how profoundly it challenges us, we will survive...because we are curious.

Star Trek will continue to inspire ''new generations'' just as it comforts the ''first generation.'' Just as the epic stories of Shakespeare are continually reinterpreted hundreds of years after they were created by those living in different times, with different sensibilities, hopes and dreams, so too will this lens called Star Trek be gazed through by generations to come as humanity reaches for the stars.

Relish the journey. Relish the passing of the torch. Gather around the campfire and listen to new storytellers.

Find your inner ''star child.'' Remember what it was like to look up into the falling snow on a cold winter night as you pretended that you were warping through space faster than the speed of light, and that those falling snowflakes were passing stars around which distant worlds revolved offering wondrous possibilities of exploration and new life to be contacted.

[kevin]

Bravo!! Really, exceptionally well put!!

[jtrek79]

summer storm if i was in charge of the oscars i would give u one

[That Metal Beastie]

Wonderfully written SSP! 'First Gen' fan as well and you expressed a lot of my feelings too. The phrase 'magic flickering box' caused an explosion of nostalgia and memories. I'd forgotten how tvs used to flicker. Well written.

[mjcrawford]

Originally Posted by That Metal Beastie

Wonderfully written SSP! 'First Gen' fan as well and you expressed a lot of my feelings too. The phrase 'magic flickering box' caused an explosion of nostalgia and memories. I'd forgotten how tvs used to flicker. Well written.

Ah yes... the days when TV's flickered, children were the remote control ("boy, go change to channel 3!") and of course, you had to turn the TV on a full minute before your show started so it could "warm up." how I miss those days...

we did not have those fancy-dancy plasma TV's or touch-tone phones! we burned LEADED gas and there were no words like 'global warming'

[SouthernSpockette]

Well said, beautifully written. I believe you probably speak for all of us here.

[That Metal Beastie]

Originally Posted by mjcrawford

Ah yes... the days when TV's flickered, children were the remote control ("boy, go change to channel 3!") and of course, you had to turn the TV on a full minute before your show started so it could "warm up." how I miss those days...

we did not have those fancy-dancy plasma TV's or touch-tone phones! we burned LEADED gas and there were no words like 'global warming'

Yeah, and we ate treebark and grubs and dirt...and we liked it!

[tomcatjosh]

I agree with you, SSP. Im more of a TOS Movies and TNG fan, since i wasnt around for TOS. but i understod that graphics were a bit " Cavemanish in the 60s".

[Lt. Fordman]

Most likely the best post I have ever read on here.
Thank you!

[martok2112]

Originally Posted by Summer Storm Pictures

As a ''first generation'' Star Trek fan, I found myself looking at the newest trailer realizing that this new adventure was only two short months away. In my mind's eye, I saw all the familiar faces I grew up with when I thought of the intrepid heroes like Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Uhura, Scotty, Sulu and Chekov. And then I saw all these new faces and realized that ''the times, they are a-changin'''...

And I was okay with that.

Star Trek is a journey defined by the very two words describing it. It is not a destination. It belongs to the ages and continues to explore the human adventure. It belongs to the ''star child'' inside all of us who long ago watched excitedly and with wonder as Neil Armstrong stepped onto the Moon on a mid-summer's day in late July, 1969--and who were that much more excited to watch the next Star Trek episode of the original series, not knowing perhaps that we had just seen last one ever to be made only a month prior to that (June 3rd, 1969).

Part of the magic of Star Trek is that it ''never dies.'' The voyage never ends and it belongs not just to one person, or generation, or color, or culture, or religion or nation, but rather lives forever in the imaginations of all who have been inspired by it--all of us, young and young at heart--all of us who inhabit this small blue island of air--all of us who turn our eyes to the night skies and ask, ''are we alone?''

Look how far we've come in all those years. Look at the big picture and realize the history ''first generation'' Star Trek fans have been privileged to live through. Star Trek is a part of that journey. We are a part of that journey. Humanity is that journey.

Even in the midst of a nation beset in turmoil, one man, a veteran of a world war and of ''the greatest generation'', looked up at that same night sky full of glimmering hope and possibility and asked, ''are we alone?''

The original Star Trek series inspired us ''first generation'' fans and gave us hope. Even as the ''magic flickering box'' on which our eyes, wide with wonder, watched intrepid heroes of all colors voyage to the stars, so too did eyes full of tears also watch cannons spray water hatefully on those of color. Just three short decades later, only a couple months ago, we watched once again, but this time as ''cannons of honor'' fired, and in unison, a twenty-one gun salute as a someone of color swore to protect, serve and defend the very people that once discriminated against his forebears.

At its core, this is the essence of Star Trek. This is the kind of hope and optimism that keeps us looking to the future, knowing that no matter what, no matter what happens and how profoundly it challenges us, we will survive...because we are curious.

Star Trek will continue to inspire ''new generations'' just as it comforts the ''first generation.'' Just as the epic stories of Shakespeare are continually reinterpreted hundreds of years after they were created by those living in different times, with different sensibilities, hopes and dreams, so too will this lens called Star Trek be gazed through by generations to come as humanity reaches for the stars.

Relish the journey. Relish the passing of the torch. Gather around the campfire and listen to new storytellers.

Find your inner ''star child.'' Remember what it was like to look up into the falling snow on a cold winter night as you pretended that you were warping through space faster than the speed of light, and that those falling snowflakes were passing stars around which distant worlds revolved offering wondrous possibilities of exploration and new life to be contacted.

One man looked up at the sky, and saw......$$$$!!!!

(just kidding.)

Very well written, sir! Bravo!