Slipping the Surly Bonds of Earth
The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave. The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we'll continue to follow them.
There are certain days that not only define a person, they define a nation. When discussing these events, we tend to start with the question "do you remember where you were when... (insert date or event here)?" Pearl Harbor. The Kennedy assassination. September 11th.And maybe lesser known by the date but certainly remembered in event -- January 28, 1986. That was the day seven brave souls -- 5 men and 2 women -- began a journey to the stars that ended in the waters off the coast of Florida. With a flash and a plume of streaking white smoke, they fell back and so did all watching.In 1986, the Space Shuttle was still new and exciting. And on this particular day, the nation was tuned in with eagerness because among the astronauts sat Christa McAuliffe, a teacher from New Hampshire. She was the first non-astronaut to embark upon space travel and carried the hopes of a nation. Televisions were rolled into classrooms and assemblies were held. Across the nation, school children gathered around to cheer the lift-off.It was a beautiful, if chilly, morning. The sky was extraordinarily blue (much like 9/11) as if God had opened up the skies to welcome the Shuttle personally. And maybe in some ways He had. Less than 30 seconds from lift-off we watched in horror as all that was right turned so terribly wrong. I was one of those millions watching -- 14 and sitting in 9th grade science. At the moment, I remember a few nervous laughs from my classmates as we struggled to comprehend what we just saw. My teacher jumped up to turn off the TV and the principal came on the loud speaker.After that, it becomes a blur. A blur of dozens of viewings of the same 17 seconds over and over. I remember thinking I wished that the stations would play something else. I knew that astronauts had children and I thought they should have something else to watch. Odd, I know, but it was the understanding of a 14 year old.Finally that evening, the president broke the monotonous Groundhog Day of video destruction. Instead of the planned State of the Union, Reagan sat with the mourning nation and shared our tears and pain. He reminded us that no great accomplishments have come without danger and risk. He said the words we needed to hear.
The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for the journey and waved goodbye and 'slipped the surly bonds of earth' to 'touch the face of God.'
We all want to reach the stars in some way. This can't be done while living in fear.That day, this 14 year old girl was scared but I wanted to be brave. I heard those words and gulped back the salty taste that had risen in the back of my throat. 30 years later, this 44 year old woman needs to be brave. It is time for me to face those fears and slip "the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God". Today reminds me I can't be fainthearted if I wish to make my dreams come true anymore than Christa McAuliffe could be to join those astronauts. While her flight was short, her legacy is long.
What is my legacy?
Time to get out there and follow them into the future. Honor others in the way I live my life.
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Are you old enough to remember that day? Do you remember where you were?