From out our bourne of Time and Space

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Imagine yourself in this position, lying here for awhile and watching Earth spin by. You could watch the clouds and the beautiful blue as you'd never done before. Mind you, hang on to something or you might find yourself floating across the room!

On the other hand, think of the effort needed to obtain this position. A multi-year degree in one of the sciences and years of experience, or years of involvement in aviation and probably some time in the military. Only then would you begin to qualify. Through rigorous physical activity you would be sent, along with hours upon hours of training for your special part in a space mission. And then, in a few days or maybe months, it would be over. The exhilaration of a rocket liftoff, the weightlessness of space, and the reentry back into the world you were made for.

I've been reading about STS-107, better known as the Columbia disaster, where a damaged Space Shuttle orbiter broke apart during reentry, killing all seven astronauts. I was young, but I remember the incident distinctly. Now I look back and imagine the horror of being trapped in a burning spaceship, flying nineteen times faster than the speed of sound, 200,000 feet above the protection of earth. What a horribly helpless feeling...

And that brings me to another thought. In the unfathomable light years of discovered universe, through millions of galaxies holding billions of stars, there is only a single heavenly body that nurtures life. Its name is Earth, and at the moment, you're resting in her protective embrace.

Post title from "Crossing the Bar" by Alfred Tennyson