Today, most in America will be watching one of the country's biggest sporting events of the year; the National Football League's Championship Game, better known as the Super Bowl. Today will mark the 43rd time that the game has been played and the game's competitors are the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals. Many will watch the game for the half time show, others will watch it for the commercials that will air and other still will watch it for the actual game. If push came to shove. I'll have to go with the Steelers eventhough I'm not a a big football fan.
For some in this country, today is a day of remembrance. Six years ago today on February 1, 2003 six Americans and one Isreali were on their way home from the stars only to remain among them for eternity. The men and women of the Space Shuttle Columbia are remembered by family, friends, all of the people who worked with them at NASA, and those people who have great respect and pride for the sacrifices they made; which are not in vain, to expand humanity's knowledge of space.
I have great respect and pride for all of those men and women who have had the opportunity to go to to the stars and for those who make those journeys possible. I am humbled by the sacrifices they all make to expand humanity's knowledge through space exploration especially those that give the ultimate sacrifice.
The US Space Program has a special place in my heart and the loss of any astronaut pains me. I remember where I was and what I was doing when I heard the news on the radio. I remember running into Sears at the local mall to find a TV and watching with great shock and sadness, not believing that such tragedy and loss could befall the Space Program twice in my life time. I don't remember any thing from the rest of that day but I honor their memory as long as I live.
To all of you out there, "Live Long and Prosper"
