my weblog is one year old today. and i was 2–1 fencing today.
But more importantly, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated on reentry today. For no good reason, i have a strong emotional attachment to the space program and NASA. i didn’t hear about this until long after it happened. i hate it. when i was 5 back in 1986 i was watching the TV when Challenger went up in smoke. and already at that young age i had great admiration for the explorers of space. and my mom was a teacher, and Christa MacAuliffe was a teacher. the Challenger became the first event that scarred myself, not to mention America as a whole.
then the World Trade Center Towers fell over. Scar number 2.The Doppler radar of Columbia’s debris trail on reentry.
and now another space tragedy. Scar number 3. how something so small can cause something so destructive just makes the event all the more painful. ahh, you few brave astronauts, sailing in the heavens. god shelter you. sail in the heavens and protect your fellow space crusaders. the only way i can talk about this is to wax romantic. this picture in particular is rather haunting. that streak.
it can’t all be horrible though can it? why are there always scars, but so few moments of pure worldwide joy. the closest i can think of is the Fall of the Berlin Wall. what a great thing that was. probably the only way we’ll know the world is getting better is when the universal goods start outnumber the tragedies.