October Sky
What a great movie! I loved watching the main character Homer Hickam navigate through the tests and trials to get to his dream of sending up rockets into the sky. It only took him seeing sputnik flying through the dark sky to inspire him.
Seeing sputnik sparked a desire in him that he hadn’t known before. He realized what his definite major purpose, or what I call his dream, was. Which was to send rockets flying through the sky.
He had one major obstacle in front of him, his father. His father was fulfilling his dream of working in the mine and he had worked his way up the ladder to be manager and to be admired by all who worked for him.
His father though, like many well-meaning parents, only saw life working out one way and that was his way. Homer had a spark in him, and he knew that wasn’t the way he wanted his life to go. When the fire ignited him to build rockets, there was nothing stopping him. He found a way.
Homer had to be a bit creative along the way, but he kept going even when things got tough. When his father told him that he couldn’t shoot up any more rockets on the grounds of the mine, he and his friends would walk eight miles to a place that he could launch the rockets.
He could see it in working in his mind. He kept his positive mental attitude even when he had to quit school to go work in the mine. He did what he could where he was at with what he had. He would study math equations during his lunch break or stay up all night trying to figure out the answer.
His plan of action was to find out everything he needed to in order to launch rockets. Thankfully he had a special master mind alliance with his three friends and some adults who were willing to help.
They didn’t give up on Homer when he had to quit school. They would meet him during his lunch hour to check in with him. They pushed each other to greater things. Even when they thought all was lost, they found a way to succeed.
They encouraged one another and were there through thick and thin. The movie didn’t show if they continued to be friends after they all went their separate ways, but I want to think that they all remained friends for many years to come.
