Remember Me.






The seven STS-107 crew members. Seated in front: astronauts Rick D. Husband (left), mission commander; Kalpana Chawla, mission specialist; and William C. McCool, pilot. Standing are (from the left) astronauts David M. Brown, Laurel B. Clark, and Michael P. Anderson, all mission specialists; and Ilan Ramon, payload specialist representing the Israeli Space Agency. (Image and credits, 2-2-03: NASA)


The Call By LeLe

In the early hours of February 1, 2003, as I was puttering around in my usual morning daze of having little to do but inspect my house for something to catch my attention and inspire my day's events, I got the 'call.' I rarely watch television, especially on Saturday mornings, when most programming is geared for the youth. And, since I have only one channel (local) that I watch for news, etc., I had no desire to have it turned on. But, something was different this morning, even though the sky was blue and the day was promising to be most beautiful, weather-wise and visually.
(Allow me to digress here: I have had this happen before. When I am 'made' to turn, look or do something without a thought or pre-intent).
I was compelled to turn on the television set and there it was... a bright lit 'something' was dropping from the sky toward earth. It just happened that at the time I turned on the set, this scene was being shown and no one was speaking at the time. I watched with slight curiosity, wondering why I had been 'asked' to watch this. Then the news reporter spoke and I realized what I was watching. (I later calculated that at the time I had been 'summoned' that it must have been almost directly over a large portion of Texas.)
I had not even been aware that the space shuttle had been in space (that is how detached I am, and deliberately so, from news). And, now it seemed that I was being 'required' to watch (or perhaps, the better word is to 'listen') and watch I did for the next several hours. I watched along with millions of other viewers as horror began to form inside us at what we knew was the final voyage for seven souls. Later when I saw the images and names of The Seven, I was strongly drawn to one person, Kalpana Chawla. Her face, from the photo above, was so familiar (although, I have never met anyone similar to her). I had to ponder for some time to piece together this event and 'my role' in it.
Here is what I concluded:
Kalpana, of Indian (India) descent, native to a country that is perhaps the cradle of ancient mysticism, had projected her final desire to the aware and in tune to the River of Thought. The desire being projected was that her 'being' be remembered. Simple and profound. Many, I am sure got this same or a similar message, and perhaps from some of the others on the shuttle, too. Kalpana's was the one I received. It was a quiet thought, no panic - just an expression that what she had been on this plane at this time, not be forgotten. And, from what I have observed, it will never be forgotten. (Note: I plan to do research on Kalpana's background and life and post addenda to this page. I feel knowing her for such a brief moment via this tragic event, does not do her justice. As I am sure many feel the same about her and the rest of the crew.)
One would need to be almost entirely shut down in awareness to not notice that all living beings, sentient or non, are connected. That one slight movement in the Web of Life is felt throughout the multiverses. More and more of late, I have been made aware so strongly, that at times I am overcome by the intensity of this knowing, that we are all connected. In all that we do, think, feel, we are contributing to the All that Is. Did these Seven volunteer to make this awareness more acute via a most dramatic exit? Perhaps, perhaps not. Did they impact all that is? Yes, they did.

In my part of the world, I placed my thought of gratitude and love for The Seven, on the Web of Life, and especially to Kalpana.

February 1, 2003, we did not lose sisters and brothers,
we gained an affirmation of our
Oneness.





My thanks to the creator/owner of this beautiful background (who's name I have been unable to recall to give credit) and to the beautiful Midi from Dolphin Dream's (Aerith).