For Laika!

In a galaxy far, far away, one dog floated high above the rest. No, it’s not Clifford or Wishbone, but the great Laika launched into earth’s orbit on the Sputnik 2, in 1957. Vladimir was the first living animal in space.

Revolutionary. Laika changed the world, and no, this is not an exaggeration. In that time, it was a huge accomplishment, despite how small it sounds today. For us, it is easy to forget where we have come from or what we have experienced, because either we have moved on or have no desire to acknowledge the past.

Every day, at least one person will complain about being “forced” to take a history class, but honestly think about Laika. Obviously, those events had to have been important enough to document, even something as seemingly insignificant as a dog being launched into space.

So, take time to think about the Laikas of the world; think of the people (or animals) that have contributed to society immensely, but go unnoticed. Everyone from the President to a homeless person has something to contribute, and it is our job to give them the recognition, respect and love they deserve.