What Going to the Moon Teaches Us About Fear
- Cheryl Nelson
- Apr 3
- 4 min read
There are moments in history that stop you in your tracks – moments that remind you just how far we’ve come, and how much further we’re capable of going.
This is one of them.
And at its core, this moment is about something we don’t talk about enough – fear. Not the kind that stops us, but the kind we have to move through if we want to grow, explore, and truly live.
The Artemis II crew – flying aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft, referred to as Integrity – is en route to the Moon.
Let that sink in.
For the first time in more than 50 years since the Apollo program, humans have left low-Earth orbit and are traveling back into deep space. After launch on April 1, the crew successfully executed a critical translunar injection burn – breaking free from Earth’s orbit and committing to their journey toward the Moon.
This isn’t just a mission.
It’s a moment.
Meet the Crew Leading the Way
The Artemis II crew represents the very best of us – not just in skill, but in what they symbolize:
Reid Wiseman (Commander)
Victor Glover (Pilot)
Christina Koch (Mission Specialist)
Jeremy Hansen (Mission Specialist)
This mission includes the first woman, the first person of color, and the first Canadian to travel toward the Moon.
Why This Moment Matters
Right now, as you’re reading this, four humans are traveling through deep space – on a path that will take them hundreds of thousands of miles from Earth.
They will fly around the Moon and return home on a roughly 10-day mission, testing systems, pushing limits, and laying the groundwork for what comes next: a sustained human presence on and around the Moon.
But this is bigger than technology.
It’s proof that we are still explorers.
That we are still willing to take risks, to push boundaries, to step into the unknown.
The Vastness – and the Perspective
As a meteorologist, I’ve always been drawn to the sky. But space takes that sense of awe to an entirely different level.
The universe is almost incomprehensible in its scale. Trillions of galaxies. Endless unknowns.
And yet – here we are. On this one planet, capable of sending humans back toward the Moon. When astronauts look back at Earth from that distance, everything changes. It’s often called the “overview effect” – that moment when borders disappear and what really matters comes into focus.
And maybe that’s part of the point.
To remind us how small we are – but also how extraordinary.
Bravery Isn’t the Absence of Fear
Let’s be clear: this mission is not without risk.
These astronauts willingly strapped into a spacecraft, left Earth’s protective orbit, and are now traveling into deep space – trusting years of preparation, engineering, and each other.
That’s not fearlessness.
That’s courage.
I’ve felt a version of that myself – flying with the Blue Angels and pulling 7.4 Gs. It’s obviously not nearly the same as launching on a rocket to the Moon, but it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that pushed me physically and mentally in ways I’ll never forget. You feel the pressure. You feel the intensity. And yes – you feel the fear. But you also realize what you’re capable of when you’re prepared and willing to go there.
If you'd like to see the raw footage from my Blue Angels flight, click here to watch.
(Warning: I'm in rare form). ;)
It’s also preparation meeting opportunity – the kind of preparation that gives you the confidence to act, even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed.
And it raises an important question:
Where are we holding back?
This Isn’t Just About Going Toward the Moon
You don’t have to board a rocket to live boldly.
But you do have to choose it.
And being prepared – mentally, emotionally, even practically – makes it a lot easier to say yes when those moments come. Because “playing it safe” often means missing out.
And while most of us won’t travel 250,000+ miles from Earth, we are all faced with moments that require risk:
Speaking up
Starting over
Taking a chance
Letting go
Going after something that feels just out of reach
The Artemis II crew didn’t get there by avoiding risk.
They got there by embracing it – with preparation, purpose, and belief in something bigger than themselves.
A Reminder to Really Live
This mission is about exploration.
But not just out there.
In here, too.
It’s about curiosity. Courage. Growth.
And not letting fear dictate the direction of your life.
Because at the end of the day, what’s the alternative?
Staying comfortable?
Staying small?
Watching instead of doing?
A New Chapter – For All of Us
As Artemis II continues its journey around the Moon, it carries more than a crew.
It carries possibility.
It carries perspective.
It carries a reminder that humanity’s story is still unfolding – and that we are all part of it.
We have this life.
There is more out there.
And there is more in you.
Don’t let fear – or lack of preparation – keep you grounded.
Final Thought
At its core, preparedness isn’t just about storms or emergencies – it’s about how you show up in your life.
Ready. Aware. Willing.
Because when opportunity comes – or when life asks something bigger of you – you don’t want fear making that decision.
You want to be prepared.
And then… you go.
~ Meteorologist Cheryl Nelson, CBM
