Twenty years ago this week, I, like many, watched in horror as breaking news showed footage of the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrating as it streaked through the Earth’s atmosphere, killing all seven astronauts on board.
Every year on the last Thursday of January, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) holds a Day of Remembrance to honor the lives lost in the tragedy, as well as those of the Apollo 1 fire and the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion.
Though decades apart, the three disasters eerily all took place within the same calendar week. Honoring the men and women lost throughout America’s history of space exploration is reason enough to set aside time for an annual memorial.
But I believe the Day of Remembrance also serves another purpose, one which touches on many aspects of life, including health: it reminds us of the potential consequences of ignoring a problem.
|
|
