As a 10-year-old, my parents took me to the Hayden Planetarium. I sat mystified in the dark, dome-shaped theater watching the show and learning about the objects in the night sky. I focused on the moon, the stars, and the planets wondering if I would get to go up in a rocket.

As a 13-year-old with pimples and pockmarks, I studied the craters on the Moon through the lenses of my friend Joel’s Tasco telescope. I was an amateur astronomer marveling at its beauty and feeling sorry for its pitted face.

As a 20-year-old, I watched two astronauts land on the Moon. And one of them walked on the Sea of Tranquility. I saw the picture of his footprint engraved in the lunar dust and our unfurled flag planted in the moon’s soil.

As a 21-year-old, I survived the Age of Aquarius by driving my mom’s spanking-brand-new Mustang to Greenwich Village. I was a hippie dressed in a flowery shirt, bell bottoms, and green, yellow, and blue beads. And as I drove into the City, I sang along with the 5th Dimension:

When the moon is in the Seventh House

And Jupiter aligns with Mars

Then peace will guide the planets

And love will steer the stars

Not keen on astrology, I never bothered to delve into the meaning of “Seventh House.” I knew it referred to the belief that the world was entering a new age, the “Age of Aquarius” and the song suggested that this age would be characterized by love, light, and humane relationships.

As a 75-year-old, I learned that the Moon in the 7th House signifies the need for emotional bonding and nurturing relationships. While it intensifies emotional experiences, it can also lead to mood fluctuations and emotional dependency. By embracing empathy, understanding, and emotional balance, individuals can foster harmonious partnerships.

 Astrology still sounded like a bunch of crap to me. But I loved the “need for emotional bonding” and I have been known to have a few mood fluctuations.

Now as the co-editor of Sea of Tranquility—A Literary Anthology, I have emotionally bonded with the SOT team and the authors in the book. All of our emotional states blasted off this planet when we learned that our works were headed to that moon.

I thought this was the same moon I studied at the Hayden at 10; observed through a telescope at 13; watched an astronaut walk on at 20; sang about in my Mustang at 21, and wrote about at 75. Quite a journey. A journey that led me to believe that there’s a harmonious partnership between mankind and the Gods. A partnership that connects the dots in our lives like a string of green, yellow, and blue beads.

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Art by Regine Fisher and cover art for “Sea of Tranquility—A Literary Anthology.”

Love the commentary…sounds a lot like my early life at Hayden and through the age of Aquarius.—Gail

Thumbs up.—Fran

Nice to see you have a new book.—Debra

Thanks Mort for reminding us of the glory of youth as written in the night sky. Whatever you do, don’t bend the mustang!—David

Good write.—Fabiyas

Awesome.—Barbra

Great story.—Howard

I love this story.—Samuel

The moon controls the tides and we are made of a great amount of water so our moods would definitely be affected.. longing for Tranquility right now.—Sandra

Oh Yes.—Neil

Perry, Thanks for sharing.—Mort

Thumbs up.—Cynthia

Thumbs up.—Gerri

Thumbs up.—Deborah

Thumbs up.—June

Aimee, Thanks for sharing. Mort

Thumbs up.—Joanne

Thumbs up.—Emily

Thumbs up.—Allan

Thumbs up.—Becky

Thumbs up.—Perry

Thumbs up.—Anita

Good story.—Barbara

Thumbs up.—Susan

Thumbs up.—Max

Thumbs up.—Mary

Thumbs up. Mort!—Jim

Thumbs up.—Paul

Thumbs up.—Sue

Thumbs up.—Jeffrey

Thumbs up.—Aimee

Thumbs up.—Lewis

Thumbs up.—Jason

Thumbs up.—Shelley

Thumbs up.—Bella

Thumbs up.—Paul

Thumbs up.—Michael

Thumbs up.—Devorah

Thumbs up.—Sandy

Thumbs up.—Mark

Thumbs up.—Steven

Thumbs up.—Mary

Thumbs up.—Maurice

Thumbs up.—Jason

Thumbs up.—Glenn

Thumbs up.—Janie

Thumbs up.—Susan

Thumbs up.—Esther

Thumbs up.—Linda

Thanks Mort for reminding us of the glory of youth as written in the night sky. Whatever you do, don’t bend the mustang!—David

Donald opened his eyes, stretched his spine, and realized he was old. He knew this because the words that left his mouth were, “Thank you G-d for another day of life.”

Those were old people’s words. He thought he would never say them.  Those were religious words. Words about a deity he did not believe in. For G-d had never played a role in his life until that bullet whizzed by his ear and almost tore it off. Yes, something had changed.

Then Donald remembered two other words he had heard the night before at the Mar-a-Lago reception.

“Tikkun Olam.”

What did those two Hebrew words mean?

Donald picked up his phone and called one of his rabbi friends.

“Hello rabbi, Donald here. How are you doing this lovely morning?

Sorry to bother you on your day of rest but one of my Jew supporters mentioned two Hebrew words that I have never heard. He said if I embossed them on my gold sneakers, I would sell a whole bunch more of them to my Jewish supporters.”

“What were the two words?”

“I think they were Tikkun Olam.”

President Trump, you’re right they are Hebrew words. They translate to “repairing the world” or “mending the world.”

“Well, that supporter knows what I’m all about. I love keeping my golf courses in perfect shape. I have my gardeners, tend, mend, and repair them daily. I believe in protecting the environment on my fairways and greens.”

“Mr. President, I think your supporter also meant followers of Tikkun Olam are never racists, bigots or anti-Semites.”

“Well, I’m none of those things. I got a Jewish daughter and my grandkids are yids. So how can I be an anti-Semite?”

“Well, your supporter might have been talking about committing felonies, frauds, sexual batteries, and insurrections?”

Donald raised his voice and yelled, “That’s a bunch of crap. I never did any of those things. Just ask my MAGA buddies or watch Fox News. They know that all those charges against me are all lies. Lies that were all drummed up by the Democrats.”

“Donald, calm down. Followers of Tikkun Olam speak calm kind words. They don’t yell like a bully.”

“Rabbi that’s great news for me. I’m the kindest guy in America. I don’t have a selfish bone in my body. But rabbi, before I hang up, I have two more questions for you. The first one is, since I’m not a member of your tribe do I have to practice Tikkun Olam?”

“Well, no but it couldn’t hurt. Why don’t you give it a try? And what’s your other question?”

“Rabbi, do you think I would sell more sneakers to Jews if I embossed them with the words “Tikkun Olam?”

The rabbi smiled, realizing his words had whizzed by the former president’s ears and he said, “Donald, I’m not sure but it couldn’t hurt.”

I’d like to have a team meeting on September 7th at 1:30 Pinecrest Library after SFWA meeting. Please advice as to availability.

To Do List:

 SOT—ALA—Earthbound edition

1. TOC************** Done

2. Cover*************Done

3. Design (wrap-around jacket)—- waiting for Susana;

3. Design back cover of book with  ISBN;

4. Determine pricing;

5. Determine genre for back cover (Poetry Short Stories)******Done;

6. “About this book page” for print quality (example emailed to Howard and Monica) Up for discussion;

7. Praise for SOT page —we have quote from Samuel—need a few more NASA, Astronauts, famous poets and authors, celebrity or national figure;

8. Title page;

9. Library of Congress Control Number—Susana to work on it;

10. Dedication page;

11. Copyright.

12. Blurbs for back cover of book (We need Three more celebrity quotes. Monica attempting to get NASA quote):

“The Sea of Tranquility Anthology brings together the voices of scores of poets and authors in commemoration of the first moon landing, fifty-five years ago. Launching to the moon in a Lunar Codex archive, the collection is a tribute to the spirit of humanity and its yearnings, to look upward, outward, to imagine, to dream.”

– Samuel Peralta, PhD.—– Lunar Codex founder

Monica compiling list of archives.