Friday, January 28, 2011

Flash 55 Friday

Disbelief...

We were talking in anticipation,
television turned on, it was
near lunchtime, and the yearbook
room was full. A teacher, the
first "commoner" to head into
space, we cheered as the launch
drew near, and finally the
countdown 4,3,2,1, and we
have lift off! Suddenly shouts of joy
turned to silent disbelief....


My children and I listened to a brother of one of the astronauts that died that fatefull day 25 years ago, speak on NPR this morning. He talked of his brother's strength and how he had overcome so many racial barriers in his life, and had made his dream of space flight come true. My oldest asked if I remembered when this happened and I replied, "like yesterday. I was the editor of my high school yearbook when this happened. We were all watching in the tiny upstairs room on the second floor. I had the sensation of my heart hitting bottom, and wanting to throw up all at once. We were stunned to say the least. No one spoke for a very long time. I can't believe it's been 25 years. It's hard to explain to your children at times that dreams can have a certain amount of risk, but there may come a time in your life when the "dream" will outweigh the risk...Have a blessed weekend....

8 comments:

  1. oh man...i was in science class watching that day...

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  2. I remember watching this -- Challenger 1986. I also remember Columbia in 2003. There is big risk with every big dream, I guess.

    I enjoyed your 55.

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  3. It doesn't seem possible that 25 years have passed. I, too, remember that day like yesterday, just as the day of Kennedy's assaination is embedded forever in my mind. In recent years, it's the horrible tragedy of 9-11 which I watched as I was getting ready for work. That was the worst of all because it showed how much people can hate.

    Mine is at:

    http://rnsane.blogspot.com/2011/01/friday-flash-55-biggest-loser-january.html#links

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  4. i never actualy seen this at the time it was a great shame and goes to show where some ambitions get us was the risk worth it comes into mind we brake the laws of nature to get into space all vou at the minnute form what i can tell in the uk nasa isnt going to send spaceships to spaceships into space anymore why is this

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  5. I was at work. I lived in Miami, Florida at the time. We could almost always see the rockets way up in the sky after they would launch, but that day I decided not to watch. I'd seen so many. But a friend called to tell me what had happened. I did run outside and look up to see if I could see anything, but all I saw was what appeared to be a cloud to me. I imagine what was left after the explosion.

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  6. Remember it like it was yesterday...
    Thanks for this solemn memory frozen in time.
    You Rock The Dairy State DBG...
    How about those Packers?
    Cheese Curds and Brats for everyone!!
    Thanks for playing, and have a Kick Ass Week-End.

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  7. Some memories are embedded, and will remain forever in my brain.

    Thanks for bringing this one front and center

    Hey, it just occurred to me how close the word "brain" is to "Brian"...no WONDER!

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  8. I remember being a senior in hs that day... I'll never forget that as long as I live. A nice tribute :-)

    I have a lil award for you over at my blog: www.sobernuggets.blogspot.com

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