The month of April has been called April for more than 2,000 years. The name comes from ancient Rome, and while its exact meaning is still debated, it is often associated with the Latin verb aperire, meaning “to open.” It has long been linked to the arrival of spring, a time of change and renewal.
But this year, April made me think about something else.
Today, I found myself following updates about NASA and the Artemis II mission, the first crewed journey toward the Moon in more than fifty years. It is a historic mission not only because of where it is going, but because of who is on board. Christina Koch is the first woman assigned to a lunar mission, Victor Glover is the first Black astronaut on one, and Jeremy Hansen is the first non-American.
I have been following this mission for months. Earlier this year, I even created a digital boarding pass, something NASA opened to the public, allowing people from around the world to symbolically be part of the journey. I signed up on January 18, 2026, and added names that matter to me. It may be a small gesture, but I found it deeply meaningful. There is something powerful about being included, even in a small way, in a moment like this.
It is astonishing to remember that the first powered flight took place in 1903, when Orville Wright flew for just 12 seconds, traveling about 120 feet. Twelve seconds. I often wonder what that moment must have felt like, to be lifted off the ground, even briefly, and realize that something once impossible was now real.
And then, only 66 years later, in 1969, human beings walked on the Moon.
From twelve seconds in the air to stepping onto another world, all within a single lifetime.
That kind of progress is almost difficult to comprehend. We often look at achievements as if they were inevitable, as if they were always going to happen. But they were not. They depended on vision, persistence, failure, and the willingness to continue even when things were uncertain. Today, missions like Artemis II remind us of that. Behind every launch are years of preparation, delays, and moments where things are not quite ready yet. And still, we move forward.
For me, this is what April represents this year. Not just new beginnings, but perspective. A reminder that human progress is not always fast or smooth, but it is extraordinary. It is also a reminder that not everyone contributes in the same way. Some people design, build, and fly. Others watch, support, learn, and share. And all of it matters.
In a different way, language learning reflects the same idea.
Learning English may not send us to the Moon, but it does expand the world we can enter. It allows us to connect with people, ideas, and opportunities that once felt far away. It requires patience, discipline, and the courage to step into the unknown, just like any form of exploration.
So this April, instead of thinking about beginnings, I find myself thinking about possibilities. And about how far we can go, sometimes in ways we cannot even imagine yet.
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