I don't know what to say... Turning on the computer in the afternoon to hear the terrible news of Columbia's loss and the deaths of all on board. One thing bothers me somewhat -- that I didn't know until 2:30, not that it matters. A little different than 9/11, when our department secretary sent an email to the +Everyone group to tell the terrible news. I was at my church's mens' Bible study when it happened, or just leaving it. Came home, caught up on some missed sleep from the night before, turn on the computer about 2:30, and wham!!! I actually overlooked the news-clip on my Comcast home page, going right into my portfolio, then into the blogs I like to read, and I click on Jeffrey Collins's Joyful Christian, and there it is and I go back and look at my home page again and read the news.
While I feel grief over this, I'll admit it's not the same feeling I had on 9/11, when the tragedy was intentionally inflicted. We expect the Space Shuttle missions to work perfectly, but we all know it's dangerous work being an astronaut. We all feel pain and loss when accidents occur, then go back and resolve to make things better, and they will be, but it's still dangerous, and the only way to be completely safe is to do nothing. I don't think anyone wants that outcome -- so to the astronauts, their families, and all the people who work for NASA, I say thank you for what you gave America and Israel (for Ilan Ramon), and God bless you.
Posted by joelfuhrmann at February 1, 2003 02:55 PM