The Irish band U2 played in Seattle. Not altogether unusual, Seattle gets good bands all the time. But the band did something kind of unusual, which they had apparently been planning long before it would have had quite the significance that it did. One of their "guests" was a live feed from the International Space Station, intended to raise awareness of NASA's ongoing mission and the importance of our continued presence in space. This has been an ongoing part of U2's tour this year. That would have been cool enough.
But the astronaut who spoke to the crowd last night was Commander Mark Kelly, husband of congresswoman Gabby Giffords.
Kelly finished his piece with "Tell my wife I love her very much...she knows". I can't imagine that there was a dry eye in Qwest Field. I hope David Bowie was listening.
I was five years old when Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins became the first humans to voyage to another world. When I was five years old, astronauts were my heroes.
They still are. I just have a deeper understanding now of what heroism is.
Nicely stated. That was a class act.
ReplyDeleteBono, Bowie and Kelly, a trifecta of awesomeness!
I'm not religious, at all. But I'm willing to call Gabby Gifford's recovery a miracle. That's heroism, there.
ReplyDeleteI was 33 when the "Eagle has landed" Watchofficer in a small cruise ship passing Key West, FL. on passage from Mexico to Miami, FL. The Master had a small black and white TV set up. I was able to keep Watch and see the whole event live. Bit naughty as regards Watchkeeping standards but thrilling none the less.
ReplyDeleteGood Watch