Don't give up Mark
It takes time, equipment, and good seeing.
Lot's of sensible advice from your fellow IIS'ers below
Maybe try and find an astronomy group near you
Also we are blessed by a plethora of amazing space images
from Super Telescopes out there. Real light can be a little underwelming compared to those mega colour images.
As with most things, the more you do, the more you see
Give it some time. And start an observers note book.
You'll be amazed at how you'll learn to see more over time.
The moon is a great beginners object as it is easy to find and has lots of detail.
All the best for your observing future
