The year was 1969.
The Space Race was in full swing, and the sky was the limit.

At the head of the United States Space Program was astronomer and Flight Director Lucy Ryder. Her greatest discovery was a lush, green exoplanet untouched by human technology, which she named Paradisios.

Over the years, Lucy studied Paradisios from Earth with a high-powered optical telescope. The only task that remained was exploring the planet in person – so she developed the Starflower 1, a spaceship that would launch towards Paradisios at light speed.

After careful deliberation, Lucy phoned her former schoolmate, R.H. Macy IV, to ask if he would be willing to make the trip out of this world. The world-class pilot and great-great-great-grandson of Macy’s department stores’ founder agreed.

On March 24, 1969, the Starflower 1 was ready for takeoff. Lucy handed R.H. a journal as they exchanged goodbyes on the launch pad. She encouraged him to take notes on his journey and use the planet as inspiration for his family’s business.

Just a day later, the Starflower 1 approached Paradisios. Before R.H. could safely touch down on the planet, a massive tree burst from the soil, hitting the Starflower 1. The spaceship was pushed off-course and plummeted to the ground.

Shaken but otherwise unharmed, R.H. radioed Mission Control to let Lucy know he was safe. “Flora and fauna may resemble what we have on Earth, but life on Paradisios is not as we know it,” Lucy warned R.H. through his earpiece, just as something began to bang on the door to the Starflower 1. R.H. frantically surveyed the ship for a place to hide.

The door opened to reveal a swarm of colorful, fuzzy creatures. They were Paradisios’ main inhabitants, mischievous but friendly creatures Lucy called Paradigms.

They hopped on R.H.’s back, sat on his shoulder and crawled up his leg in a chorus of squeaks. “They’re trying to tell you something. I don’t think you’re safe here,” Lucy said with concern.

R.H. peered out from the ship to see a fantastical jungle, the Carnivorous Wilds. Vines hung from every tree and snaked across the ground, surrounded by supermassive Venus fly traps and plants that just might bite back if he got too close.

While R.H.’s back was turned, the Paradigms clambered into his all-terrain rover, the Spidercrawler and clumsily steered it out of the spaceship. As R.H. ran after the rover, plants snatched at his ankles and then a glimmer of light caught his eye.

He uncovered a glowing red seed amid a brush of razor-sharp grass. He pocketed it and hurried to catch up with the Paradigms.

The Paradigms led R.H. to an underground tunnel called The Caverns. It was tranquil, with beautiful blooms growing out of the rock walls. Relieved, R.H. pulled out his journal and sketched the Carnivorous Wilds and his current surroundings.

R.H. and the Paradigms emerged from The Caverns and traveled through various regions of the planet. They eventually came upon a lake with a mirrored surface and a massive rock structure on its shore. An alien language was engraved in its surface and pulsated with a reddish glow.

Lucy quickly decoded it, revealing an ominous riddle:

Home to many and protected by one
This paradise welcomes every person
Life gives life, but for those who take,
The opposite of halcyon – a Paradox awaits.

Suddenly, the ground began to shake and an octopus-like creature erupted from below the monolith.

R.H. fell to the dirt, searching frantically for the Paradigms, but they had abandoned the Spidercrawler and were running away in a fury of shrieks.

Lucy remote-accessed the rover, which skidded to a stop next to R.H. As he climbed inside, Lucy said, “This must be the Paradox from the riddle, which means the riddle is the key to defeating it.”

“I think I know what it wants, Lucy,” R.H. said, pulling the red seed from his pocket.

It seemed to move in his hand and glowed more intensely than before. “I found this all alone in the Carnivorous Wilds. I wasn’t trying to steal it. I just wanted to bring it back to its home.”

R.H. hopped out of the rover despite Lucy’s protests. He held up the seed and shouted, “Hey! Is this what you’re looking for?”

The Paradox responded by smashing the Spidercrawler. As it was about to retaliate again, the Paradigms appeared across the lake. They scurried to R.H.’s side and addressed the Paradox with crazed beeps. The Paradox paused for a moment before retreating into the ground.

The Paradigms cheered and R.H. exhaled a sigh of relief. He thanked the Paradigms, and they motioned for him to follow them once again. They soon approached a barren land with red soil. Hovering above it were large pieces of rock with building-like structures made of flora.

The Paradigms took hold of R.H.’s legs, and with a swift bounce, they entered the Floating City. The rock platforms rearranged in a path towards the city center, where a large palace made of trees and vines stood.

Inside the castle, the Paradigms brought R.H. to a chamber containing a field of glowing red flowers and pushed him towards an unoccupied patch of soil.

R.H. placed the red seed in the ground and an identical glowing flower sprung from the dirt. The entire field then burst into a dazzling pyrotechnic display. In awe, R.H. pulled out his journal and sketched the radiant field.

Finally, it was time to head back to Earth. R.H. and the Paradigms exchanged a bittersweet farewell where the Starflower 1 was originally supposed to land, the Orchid Forest.

Upon his return to Earth, R.H. gave his journal to Lucy for safekeeping. He revisited it often to inspire new trends for Macy’s department stores.

The field of flowers in the Floating City prompted R.H. to revamp the Macy’s Fireworks Spectacular, which astonished the nation as a 4th of July celebration seven years after the Starflower 1 Mission.

The End

To honor the 50th anniversary of R.H.’s journey to Paradisios, his journal has been declassified and released to the public, who can now take their very own interstellar trip at the 2019 Macy’s Flower Show.