Thursday, January 28, 2016

Remembering Challenger






Challenger
(by R.P.Edwards)

Down to earth
My feelings fall
From the heavens
From the "call"
From the promise
Hopeful flight
From the Day
Into the Night
Standing, Cheering!
Now sadness
Pain
So much fear
To fly again
But wait! O children
Look up and see
The dream lives on
In you!
In me!
Though mourning folds
Our eagle wings
With thoughts of those
No more to sing
But listen, now
And hear them say
No more restrained 
By mortal sway
"Rise up! Rise up!
Spread wings and fly!
Your dreams for fuel
Your compass, "Why?"
Striving!
Searching!
Working!
Go!
Beyond the limits!
Beyond the know!
And ne'er again
Shed tears for we
O, children, rise!
And boldly BE!
And know that death
Is but a door
So, while you breathe
Do more!
DO MORE!"



It was thirty years ago, today. I was sitting in some sort of class having something to do with my Broadcasting major at Fresno State (btw, I work in a steelmill, at least for another day). Anyway, Dr Monson, who was pretty white to begin with, poked his head in the door with a facial skin tone that was whiter still. He told us the Space shuttle, Challenger, had exploded.

Christa McAuliffe was the civilian "teacher" among the crew. It was a promo type thing; having an educator on board would help support the space program and give young minds a nudge in the direction of the hard sciences. How tragic when the thousands of television screens turned on for the big event, showed instead that disaster is always in the wings.

I'll not go on other than to briefly mention the other crew members, ALL of which I honor today. Using the above photo, we'll go from the top left on (including Christa). A link will give you some more info.








Found another blog I wrote on the subject five years ago. A slightly different take: 
To touch the face of God


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