"reaching for the stars"
Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds
of earth and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth of
sun-split clouds -- and done a hundred things you have
not dreamed of -- wheeled and soared and swung high in
the sunlit silence.
Hov'ring there, I've chased the shouting wind along, and
flung my eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue I've topped the
windswept heights with easy grace where never lark, or
even eagle flew.
And while with silent, lifting mind I've trod the high
untrespassed sanctity of space, put out my hand, and
touched the face of God
John Gillespie Magee, Jr.
The
STS-107 crew. Seated in front are astronauts Rick
Husband, commander, and
Willie McCool, pilot. Standing are (from left) mission
specialists Dave Brown, Laurel
Clark, Kalpana Chawla, Mike Anderson (payload commander)
and payload specialist
Ilan Ramon, representing the Israeli Space Agency.
As
long as we have memories, yesterday remains;
As long as we have hope, tomorrow awaits.
As long as we have friendship, each day is never a waste.
"As we look at the earth from above we see a world without borders, full of peace and splendor, and we hope that humanity as a whole will envision the world as we do and strive to live together in peace."