--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Frequently on the lunar surface I said to…" description: "\"Frequently on the lunar surface I said to myself, 'This is the Moon, that is the Earth. I'm really here, I'm really here!'\" — Alan Bean" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/235/alan-bean-19480_apollo_frequently-on-the-lunar-surface-i-said-t_2583758.png" --- # Frequently on the lunar surface I said to myself, 'This is… ![“Frequently on the lunar surface I said to myself, 'This is the Moon, that is the Earth. I'm really here, I'm really here!'” quote by Alan Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/235/alan-bean-19480_apollo_frequently-on-the-lunar-surface-i-said-t_2583758.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/235/alan-bean-19480_apollo_frequently-on-the-lunar-surface-i-said-t_2583758.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/235/alan-bean-19480_apollo_frequently-on-the-lunar-surface-i-said-t_2583758.png) > “Frequently on the lunar surface I said to myself, 'This is the Moon, that is the Earth. I'm really here, I'm really here!'” [Alan Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bean/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeing the Moon and Earth together sparked profound presence and awe, grounding the astronaut in the moment. **In simple terms:** Seeing Earth from the Moon made the astronaut feel truly present. Key Takeaway Appreciate the present moment. Themes presence wonder perspective Mood awe reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - personal reflection - space travel - mindfulness Key Concepts human experience space exploration Questions to Reflect On - How does being present change your view of challenges? - What does the Earth look like from your perspective? A Different Perspective The feeling may fade without deliberate mindfulness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apollo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apollo/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Frequently Lunar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frequently-lunar-1799726/) [Lunar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lunar/) [Lunar Surface](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lunar-surface-1799725/) [Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) [Moon Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon-earth-572835/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Said Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-moon-1577095/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Space exploration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space-exploration/) [Surface](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surface/) ## Related quotes > [“Enriched by a singular event that is larger than life, I no longer have the luxury of being ordinary. To stand on the lunar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-cernan/enriched-by-a-singular-event-that-is-larger-than-life-i-no-longer/) [Eugene Cernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-cernan/) > [I remember it was hard to believe that I was taking a step onto the lunar surface.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/i-remember-it-was-hard-to-believe-that-i-was-taking-a-step-onto-the/) [Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/) > [Armstrong described the lunar surface as 'beautiful.' I thought to myself, 'It's not really beautiful. It's magnificent that we're here, but what a desolate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/armstrong-described-the-lunar-surface-as-beautiful-i-thought-to/) [Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/) > [From a scientific point of view, we now know that the water is interlaced with the lunar soil in many locations, perhaps as remnants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-diamandis/from-a-scientific-point-of-view-we-now-know-that-the-water-is/) [Peter Diamandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-diamandis/) > [You're not like the others. I've seen a few; I know. When I talk, you look at me. 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She said, if there were more than one moon I wouldn’t know what to do or where to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-russell/this-is-the-way-we-love-she-said-if-there-were-more-than-one-moon-i/) [Brian Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-russell/) > [One night the moon said to me If he makes you cry why dont you leave him? I paused for a while then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-night-the-moon-said-to-me-if-he-makes-you-cry-why-dont-you-leave/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I had a dream about you. We were in the gold room where everyone finally gets what they want. You said Tell me about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-siken/i-had-a-dream-about-you-we-were-in-the-gold-room-where-everyone/) [Richard Siken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-siken/) > [You must not think of time as a quantity, a period, a measure. Look at the sky," Gwynneth said. "The moon has now slipped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-lasky/you-must-not-think-of-time-as-a-quantity-a-period-a-measure-look-at/) [Kathryn Lasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-lasky/) > [“You have made the moon," The Jester said. "That is the moon.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/you-have-made-the-moon-the-jester-said-that-is-the-moon/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [You're not like the others. I've seen a few; I know. When I talk, you look at me. When I said something about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-re-not-like-the-others-i-ve-seen-a-few-i-know-when-i-talk-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“I wanted to hurt you but the victory is that I could not stomach it. We have swallowed him up, they said. It’s beautiful.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-siken/i-wanted-to-hurt-you-but-the-victory-is-that-i-could-not-stomach-it/) [richard siken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-siken/) > [We had the sky up there, all speckled with stars, and we used to lay on our backs and look up at them, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/we-had-the-sky-up-there-all-speckled-with-stars-and-we-used-to-lay-on/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) ## More by Alan Bean > [Just like some day, say, 1000 years from now, when we can go to another star and see a planet, that's what we would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bean/just-like-some-day-say-1000-years-from-now-when-we-can-go-to-another/) [Alan Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bean/) > [History has spurts and then is steady, and then maybe even backing up a step, and then forward again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bean/history-has-spurts-and-then-is-steady-and-then-maybe-even-backing-up/) [Alan Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bean/) > [It seems farther away now because there are no rockets getting there. 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Black and white. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bean/if-you-remember-back-to-some-of-the-television-we-saw-buzz-and-neil/) [Alan Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bean/) > [I believe that 100, 200, 300 years from now, all these paintings will be around because they're the first paintings of humans doing things off this Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bean/i-believe-that-100-200-300-years-from-now-all-these-paintings-will-be/) [Alan Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bean/) [Explore all 32 Alan Bean quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bean/) ## More Apollo quotes > [“I have found it an amusing strategy, when asked whether I am an atheist, to point out that the questioner is also an atheist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-have-found-it-an-amusing-strategy-when-asked-whether-i-am-an/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Kennedy had made a mess in Cuba at the Bay of Pigs. He had to do something to look good. The Apollo program of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-schirra/kennedy-had-made-a-mess-in-cuba-at-the-bay-of-pigs-he-had-to-do/) [Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) > [Apollo?” I guessed… He put a finger to his lips. “I’m incognito. Call me Fred.” A god named Fred?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/apollo-i-guessed-he-put-a-finger-to-his-lips-i-m-incognito-call-me/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [As a former Apollo astronaut, I think it's safe to say that SpaceX and the other commercial developers embody the 21st century version of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rusty-schweickart/as-a-former-apollo-astronaut-i-think-it-s-safe-to-say-that-spacex-and/) [Rusty Schweickart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rusty-schweickart/) > [I think if you were between maybe 6 and 16, there was nothing like Apollo, and I wonder if there can be something like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/i-think-if-you-were-between-maybe-6-and-16-there-was-nothing-like/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [Apollo was a big, unwieldy vehicle. I had a problem with the flight controllers over that. It would try to fare its way like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-schirra/apollo-was-a-big-unwieldy-vehicle-i-had-a-problem-with-the-flight/) [Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) > [I used to be a street performer, and performances on Venice Beach, it's like playing the Apollo: They let you know if they don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-hiroyuki-tagawa/i-used-to-be-a-street-performer-and-performances-on-venice-beach-it-s/) [Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cary-hiroyuki-tagawa/) > [I owe much of my success to Seann Walsh. 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Are they reacting to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/have-any-of-you-taken-a-look-out-at-greece-in-the-last-say-hour-or-so/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“I couldn’t say I was surprised that Apollo hadn’t given me a lot to work on. The jerk was known for delivering little to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/i-couldn-t-say-i-was-surprised-that-apollo-hadn-t-given-me-a-lot-to/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) > [“As additional precautions, Kranz requested that a two-hundred-foot radio antenna (called a deep-space dish) in Australia be added to the global network tracking and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-s-f-cooper-jr/as-additional-precautions-kranz-requested-that-a-two-hundred-foot/) [Henry S.F. Cooper Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-s-f-cooper-jr/) > [“He saw her eyes bright as stars; he saw her lips, and was not satisfied with only seeing them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-saw-her-eyes-bright-as-stars-he-saw-her-lips-and-was-not-satisfied/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Among the gods, there is a dispute as to which one of them originally thought of Christianity; or, as they call it, the Great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-holt/among-the-gods-there-is-a-dispute-as-to-which-one-of-them-originally/) [Tom Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-holt/) [Browse all 382 Apollo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apollo/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Frequently on the lunar surface I said to myself, 'This is the Moon, that is the Earth. 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