Do you ever wonder...

...if we, meaning humankind, will ever actually get off this rock, or are we doomed to be stuck here forever, looking up at the stars and wishing?
Time to start looking upward and outward again. The private sector is getting into the chase, which is good (more folks taking the idea seriously, entrepeneurial cash drives the world) and bad (The Golden Arches on the McMoon). The Cassini Mission was a resounding success. The space elevator is clearing hurdles. There's a lot to look forward to.
On the other hand, space is becoming commonplace... and, as with any formerly new thing that becomes commonplace, the novelty wears off and it becomes just another part of life. Plus, to some folks, it can be hard to justify looking up when we've got so many problems down here...
But hey, I'm an optimist. We need new horizons. If we don't get them, we stagnate. Earth is pretty much tapped out, as far as exploration goes. Going to space is no longer a big deal... but as far as what we have seen and what we understand, compared to what there is yet to see... I can't come up with a comparison, frankly. A teardrop in the ocean doesn't do justice to the vastness of space.
The next logical step is up. We go up, or we stagnate, continue acting stupid, kill each other, and die off. I think humanity is built to survive. It's only a matter of time before we get out and go.
I hope.