'The Days of Miracle and Wonder' (Peggy Noonan)

Opinion Journal ^ | 02-01-03 | Peggy Noonan

[veronica]

The Columbia's loss is a searing reminder of American heroism.

"The Columbia is lost. There are no survivors." Blunt words spoken softly by President Bush this afternoon. He spoke of how easy it is for all of us to "overlook the dangers of travel by rocket. . . . These astronauts knew the dangers, and they faced them willingly." He spoke of why "mankind is led into the darkness," and he promised that "our journey into space will go on."

[veronica]

FYI.

[veronica]

Bump.

[Catspaw]

He was not alone.

No, Buzz wasn't alone.

[MadIvan]

ping!

[Joe 6-pack]

Nice post. Say what you may about John Denver's politics, but he was an admirer of exploration, and himself, had aspirations of participating in a shuttle mission. He wrote this song in the wake of Challenger, and it's been in my head since this morning:

Flying High
John Denver

Well, I guess that you probably know by now
I was one who wanted to fly
I wanted to ride on that arrow of fire right up into heaven
And I wanted to go for every man, every child, every mother of children
I wanted to carry the dreams of all people right up to the stars

And I prayed that I'd find an answer there
Or maybe I would find the song
Giving a voice to all of the hearts that can not be heard
And for all of the ones who live in fear
And all of those who stand apart
My being there would bring us a little step closer together

They were flying for me, they were flying for everyone
They were trying to see, a brighter day for each and everyone
They gave us their light, they gave us their spirit, and all they could be
They were flying for me

And I wanted to wish on the Milky Way and dance upon the falling star
I wanted to give myself, and free myself, enjoin myself with it all!
Given the chance to dream, it can be done
The promise of tomorrow is real
Children of spaceship Earth, the future belongs to us all

She was flying for me, she was flying for everyone
She was trying to see, a brighter day for each and everyone
She gave us her light, she gave us her spirit, and all she could be
She was flying for me

They were flying for me, they were flying for everyone
They were trying to see, a brighter day for each and everyone
They gave us their light, they gave us their spirit, and all they could be
They were flying for me

[MadIvan]

We've been here before - I do remember President Reagan during the Challenger disaster. I was saying earlier that President Bush has endured more pain as President in 2 years than most get in 2 terms. But what is fortunate is that he has the strength to endure the pain and be a voice of comfort to everyone.

It is a tragedy to lose heroes - because they are few and far between. But it's also important to remember that they are also immortal, made so by their place in history, and by passing into God's embrace.

Regards, Ivan

[wndycndy]

God I love Peggy Noonan.

[jaz.357]

Peggy does it again. She is a NATIONAL TREASURE.

[Tony in Hawaii]

Thanks, Joe. I'll look for that song.

[Aggie Mama]

Tearful BTTT

[jaz.357]

Offical press kit link for STS-107 http://www.shuttlepresskit.com/STS-107/STS-107_SPK.pdf

[SJackson]

Thanks for the ping.

===================================================

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[rightazrain]

Peggy gives me goosebumps again.

[JulieRNR21]

Thanks for posting the Denver song....I never even knew he wrote one after the Challenger disaster.

[texasbluebell]

The author of the poem High Flight that Peggy quotes here, was a 19 year old flyer who died over England during WWII.

John G. Magee Jr., the son of missionary parents, wrote the sonnet only 3 months before he died when his plane and another collided in a cloud--he luckily had sent this verse in a letter to his parents before his death.

link

[JulieRNR21]

God Bless Peggy Noonan.....her written word is a work of art.....she is truly gifted!

[veronica]

Bump.

[Museum Twenty]

Veronica, thanks for the post.

Seventeen years since Challenger. Life goes by so fast. And, sadly, sometimes ends too quickly.

I regularly find Ms. Noonan does her best work when the subject is most serious.

Some were a little negative on her during the SOTU, mostly complaining about style.

I like her style.

Pokey, perhaps you wish to ping the Peggy list?

[goldstategop]

God Bless Their Souls. They Saw And Touched The Face Of God on Behalf of All Mankind.

[keats5]

Peggy Noonan writes well, because she thinks well.

[Timesink]

Say what you may about John Denver's politics...

It's not John Denver's politics that song makes me think of.

[lainie]

*gasp*

[walrus954]

I was just about to post this, it is so beautiful. I think tonight I will email Mrs. Noonan and thank her.

Andrew

[bonfire]

I love her too.

[bonfire]

I love her speaking voice also. Always so calm and well thought out and non-reactive.

[Gorzaloon]

I was saying earlier that President Bush has endured more pain as President in 2 years than most get in 2 terms. But what is fortunate is that he has the strength to endure the pain and be a voice of comfort to everyone.

But "W" is a person of Faith, so it is not "his" strength..Though there is an infinite amount he can borrow. Given the choice of doing the right thing and perhaps being a one-termer, or doing the profane but expediant thing, I doubt he would hesitate a second.

He is a good person. When the former administration left, it was more an excorcism than an election.

[MadIvan]

He is a good person. When the former administration left, it was more an excorcism than an election.

I have to confess I was nervous right up until the moment President Bush took the oath of office - I thought Clinton might find some way to maintain his oily grasp on the Presidency. But when he took the oath, and the responsibility passed onto him - I felt a relief that is difficult to describe, rather like I had been holding my breath. Perhaps just the idea of Clinton being the "leader" of the Free World was suffocating.

Regards, Ivan

[Timmy]

Y'know. I was listening to the radio when Bush spoke about the shuttle Columbia. Nice, I thought. However, a little while ago I saw the same statement on television. I was taken aback by the pain on his face, and touched to the point of tears. Thank goodness he is there, if you know what I mean.

[MadIvan]

Y'know. I was listening to the radio when Bush spoke about the shuttle Columbia. Nice, I thought. However, a little while ago I saw the same statement on television. I was taken aback by the pain on his face, and touched to the point of tears. Thank goodness he is there, if you know what I mean.

Indeed. A "President Gore" would have had a nervous breakdown by now.

Regards, Ivan

[unspun]

"We are on the verge of war in the Mideast, a war springing in its modern origins from the tensions of the Arab-Israeli conflict; our president, a Texan, believes we must move on Iraq. The space shuttle that broke up today carried, for the first time ever, a Mideastern astronaut, an Israeli who won fame when he led a daring raid on a nuclear reactor in Iraq, 20 years ago. The shuttle broke up over the president's home state, Texas. The center of the debris field appears to be a little town called Palestine."

Notice she wrote that the Arab-Israeli conflict forms the "modern" origin of the war we see before us.

It seems that the Jew who made a sacrificial statement once for all, would point out that the strife we face in the former lands of Babylon and the Chaldes is for purposes that include His, the Lion of the Tribe of Juda's. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, the apple of His eye on earth.

How the Lord has used this latest Israeli warrior's life and death will also be remembered forever.

[unspun]

Ilan Ramon tribute:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/834043/posts

[ventana]

Peggy, you always get me right here (insert heart visual). V's wife.

[alfa6]

Much obliged for the ping MI

Deepest Regards

alfa6 ;>{

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

Thanks for posting the Denver song....I never even knew he wrote one after the Challenger disaster.

I saw John Denver in concert at Oakdale in Connecticut, twice in the 1990s.

Both times this song brought tears to my eyes.

He was a great performer!

[JohnBovenmyer]

Remember how John Denver died. The small plane (an ultralight I believe) he was piloting crashed. He was living the dream.

[Valin]

Peggy Noonan, is she good or what!

[Pokey78]

Absolutely! Thanks!

Ping!

[Mudbug]

...President Bush has endured more pain as President in 2 years than most get in 2 terms.

Yes, he "endures pain" (more than most in 2 terms), but it's his response that motivates. Clinton said he "felt" our pain. GWB offers comfort.

[Mike Darancette]

God Bless Peggy Noonan.....her written word is a work of art.....she is truly gifted!

I though for a while that she might have had a hand in writing the President's speech. The speech was that good.

[Siobhan]

A beauitful piece by Peggy Noonan.

[Siobhan]

Peggy Noonan ping.

[Darlin']

Ms Noonan is able to put on paper what the rest of us feel in our hearts.

[semaj]

bump

[Slyfox]

Bump

[lainde]

Ping...Thanks for the comforting words from Peggy...

[eddie willers]

God Bless Peggy Noonan.....her written word is a work of art.....she is truly gifted!

She wrote this stunner on the anniversery of September 11:

The other day I walked by Saint Vincent's Hospital in downtown Manhattan and thought, as I always do when I walk by: This is where they waited for the wounded. The interns and nurses waited outside right here with gurneys for patients who didn't come. Because so few people were "wounded." The three thousand were dead. What happened to them? They were exploded into air. They became a cloud. We breathed them in.

[Dick Bachert]

[eddie willers]

BTW...here's the lyrics to the first verse of the Paul Simon song Peggy mentioned.

It was a slow day
And the sun was beating
On the soldiers by the side of the road

There was a bright light
A shattering of shop windows
The bomb in the baby carriage
Was wired to the radio

These are the days of miracle and wonder
This is the long distance call
The way the camera follows us in slo-mo
The way we look to us all,

The way we look to a distant constellation
That is dying in a corner of the sky
These are the days of miracle and wonder
And don't cry baby, don't cry
Don't cry

I remembered the part about the suicide bomber immediately.
I bet Peggy did too.