More Lessons from Space

I’m still thinking about our trip to the Kennedy Space Center.  One thing that touched me was the comments made by many of the astronauts stating that their space experience changed their perception of life and our world.  Being able to view the earth from space was profoundly moving for them.  They were struck with a sense of peace, unity, and awe.  Wouldn’t it be amazing if every inhabitant of the earth were able to have that view?  Would competition and strife be as rampant, I wonder?

While I was fairly familiar with the Apollo and Space Shuttle missions, I’m embarrassed to tell you that much of the detail about the International Space Station was unknown to me.  In just a few days, on November 2, the ISS will have its 12th anniversary of continuous human occupation.  In that time, there have been 125 launches to the ISS and the space station has been visited by 204 individuals.  According to NASA, “the ISS has been the most politically complex space exploration program ever undertaken.”  The ISS was created and is maintained through the cooperative efforts of United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada.  To further elaborate, the European nations involved include Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden, among others.  I am incredibly encouraged by the ongoing collaboration, cooperation and achievement demonstrated by these nations.

It’s easy to get caught up in the ubiquitous scarcity and limitation thinking and resulting conflict that confront us daily.  If we look, however, we can find examples that contradict these perspectives.  Next time you need a reminder that we really all are one and there is plenty for all, just look up to the skies and whisper a blessing to the inhabitants of the ISS.