This is what the sky looked like right before the space shuttle Endeavor passed over my neighborhood, piggy-backed onto a giant jet with fighter jets behind it. I was so excited that I didn't take the photo and instead jumped up and down with my friend, shrieking THERE IT IS! THERE IT IS! I really wasn't too caught up in the hullabaloo over the last few days despite all the media attention it was getting. When I went on a late morning power walk with my friend, we had no idea that we were going to see it, and I admit that it was a lot more exciting than I had imagined. There were people, evidently, all over the coast, out on the beaches and up in the mountains, waiting for it. It felt like one of those collective joyful moments in the life of a city. On our walk back home we saw these people, who had set up a sort of stake-out on their roof, a widow's walk for space:
I'm so happy to have experienced it -- magnificent, really.
Here's a cool photo that does it justice -- saw it on Facebook and am lifting it from Reuters:
Isn't that funny? It flew over Austin and I saw it by chance. I called a friend to tell her and was so excited my voice got wobbly. It was really cool. Of course, it also flew REALLYLOW over downtown Austin. That was cool too.
ReplyDeleteThat IS a great picture from Reuters. Wow. It's always cool to "accidentally" participate in something like this. It's like when the jets from the Olympics opening ceremony flew over our house. Anyway, glad you got to see it!
ReplyDeleteAn especially cool photo. The whole adventure yesterday recalled the fact that both my grandparents were World War I veterans - a Cavalry Col. and a battlefield nurse - and I grew up going with them to every veterans' parade and picnic within driving distance. In a certain context the simple evidence of great endeavor, of heart, reminds me who we are and what we can, and have been willing, to do.
ReplyDeleteTo echo Steve's observation, do you think this fleeting inspirational glimpse of what is achievable by man, no accident?
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