Value Each Day
February 10, 2003
As the seven Columbia astronauts prepared to enter
the Shuttle, each paused and waved. A photographer captured the
moment. Soon they would soar above the earth and clouds. They
would view the blue planet in all its splendor. Their families
celebrated. A dream had come true.
For sixteen days they circled the earth. Some
worked days while others worked nights--the phrase hardly
applies to a place where night and day blend into a kaleidoscope
of light and darkness. Finally, they prepared to return. They
fired the rockets to slow their speed. A speck in the sky
entered the atmosphere.
Sixteen minutes from the ground radio contact
turned from clarity to static. Contact was lost. Family members
didn't know. They waited within sight of the Florida runway
anticipating a flawless landing and a jubilant hug and kiss on
the lips or cheek.
And then time slowed and finally stopped.
Anticipation eroded into anxiety. Fear swallowed anxiety. And
then the truth blew away both. Death visited the Columbia and
took everyone captive.
Solomon said, "The day of one's death is better
than the day of one's birth" (Ecclesiastes 7:1). His words seem
odd. Perplexing. But upon reflection they make sense. The day of
birth blossoms like a flower. It promises a fragrant future. No
mention is made of the sun and its wilting heat. The dreamy
optimism of birth denies the disappointment and pain of life.
It's disconnected from reality.
In sharp contrast, the day of death screams
reality. It demands we contemplate the meaning of life and the
hereafter. The greatest tribute we could pay the crew of the
Columbia is to consider the frailty of our own lives. Take a
minute and ask yourself, "If I died today, would I feel good
about how I invested my life? Have I lived my life for those who
will cry at my funeral? Or, have I lived it for those who don't
care?"
I don't mean to cast a shadow over your day. But
please, in the face of this national tragedy, think deeply about
what your life is about. And ask God for the grace you need to
live each day for him and for those who love you. Ultimately, a
life lived that way, will be a life lived without regrets.
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