  we're sitting at home watching NASA Select, hoping for a safe landing for Mars' newest visitor, the rover named Opportunity. Moments ago, the little robot separated from its mama ship, on which it had traveled from Earth to Martian orbit. After separation, the two decend together toward the surface of Mars. But because the mothership isn't protected by a heatshield, much less equipped with airbags for landing, it will soon meet a firey end while the little rover Opportunity will continue on to what we all hope is a bright future of exploration and discovery.
Isn't that the perfect analogy for the very nature of parenting? This mama ship traveled a hundred million miles just to give its baby that final nudge into history. Aside from the discriptor "cruise stage," the mama ship didn't even have a name. And that's how progress works. If we do nothing else to help our spieces, we're working to help our babies help the species. God speed, Opportunity! 
