Quintin's Bridges and Footprints

I just wrapped up watching all four seasons of “FOR ALL MANKIND” on Apple TV+, enjoying it on our trusty old 2nd or 3rd generation Apple TV.

The series begins its timeline in 1969 with season 1 and leaps into the new millennium by seasons 3 and 4. It beautifully intertwines actual historical events with fictional narratives, even taking us to Mars—something we haven’t yet experienced in our own world! Premiering in 2019, I can’t help but think that if I had watched this show before moving to the U.S., it wouldn’t have resonated with me quite as deeply.

Navigating through uncertainties, my family has faced many challenges, showcasing our resilience along the way. Watching this series struck a chord with me, particularly when Margo Madison reflects at the end of the season 4:

The sense of wright and wrong that I was in control. But the truth is the world is not as simple as we want it to be. …especially when it comes to human beings. We are flawed, unpredictable, and full of contradictions. It’s taken me most of my life to realize it’s exactly these traits that make us so resilient. That give credence to the improbable idea that anything is possible. Even in the darkest of time.

I think no matter where you and your loved ones find yourselves—on Earth or Mars—family is truly the foundation that allows us to begin anew.

In the end of season 1, a astronaut died during the mission. When the commander Ellen Wilson was interviewed and was asked if the sacrifices made for exploring the universe were justified, she poignantly stated:

There are always sacrifices in any great journey. Think about the caravans — the wagon trains that crossed this country over a hundred years ago in search of a new home. Or the ships that sailed across the Atlantic looking for a new world. These were journeys full of uncertainty and risk, but people took them because they believed in something greater. Taking on great challenges against great odds — that’s what makes us human.

As our family embarks on this new journey together, we’ve spent four years facing uncertainties and risks, which may still lie ahead. But with each challenge, we grow stronger and more united, ready to embrace whatever comes next.