Having flown literally thousands of times, being up in the clouds still simply amazes me.
Taking off from the Tampa Bay a/p I can see across the bay to where I live and the Gulf of Mexico to the west,
off in the distance.
The sky is clear and one can see for miles.
As we begin to climb I'm thinking in three days the entire area will be filled with storm clouds from the approaching Isaac. I find myself saying a silent prayer, "Please God don't let the area be damaged too much from the winds your sending"
Once over the Gulf heading west for Houston the clouds turn stormy and the turbulence gets shaky but the flight is smooth and I can't take my eyes from the window of the cabin. I just love it up there in the sky!
Once the altitude of the plane is up in cruising speed my mind always go's back to a poem my parents taught me when very small.
High Flight
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 wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or ever 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
Oh how the clouds take on different shapes with each passing mile.
My second plane this day flew north to Oklahoma City and the clouds again changed forms and turned into balls of cotton.
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
As I sit gazing out the window, something inside of me says
If I could get that window open I surly could
Put out my hand, and touch the face of God.
On the date of Neil Armstrong's death, August 25th, 2012, this poem is a
perfect to the man who touched the moon and the world's hearts and
minds.
RIP Neil.
I'm adding a post script to this post, Friday night Aug 31st, a blue moon can be seen and is sure to be savored by NASA fans, as it comes on the same day that astronaut Neil Armstrong
is being laid to rest in a private ceremony. Armstrong, who was the
first person to walk on the moon, died on Aug. 25 after suffering from
complications related to heart surgery.
"This Blue Moon that
Slooh will explore Friday night is somewhat rare, but not as rare as the
courage and talent of the late Neil Armstrong, the first human to set
foot on our nearest celestial neighbor," astronomer and Slooh editor Bob
Berman said in a statement on Slooh's Facebook page. "To honor him,
Slooh will explore the Sea of Tranquility with its Canary Island 20-inch
telescope, live, and have guests who will reveal some of the
lesser-known secrets of that historic 1969 event. I think many of our
visitors will be in for quite a surprise."
It appears as if the moon wants to send him off with a memorable goodbye--or perhaps welcome him home.
I'm linking up to
