WHERE THE STARS ALIGN IN CANADA
I’VE BEEN STARRY EYED FOR A LONG TIME. GROWING UP IN THE COUNTRY, I TOOK DARK SKIES FOR GRANTED. I THOUGHT EVERYONE COULD SIMPLY STEP OUTSIDE AND SIT UNDER A CHANDELIER OF STARS LIKE I DID. MY MOM ROUTINELY PULLED US OUTSIDE TO OBSERVE SOME PLANETARY EVENT OR METEOR SHOWER.
On January 28, 1986, I was a young witness to the space shuttle disaster. Our entire elementary school was assembled in the gym, cross legged on the floor, eyes trained on the television on wheels that was rolled around the school, classroom to classroom, as needed. When the microwave-sized TV exploded 73 seconds into its flight, killing all seven aboard, including Christa McAuliffe of New Hampshire. She was to be the first teacher in space. There was a hush in the gym of Mt. Pleasant Public School, and I’m sure our principal said something calming and pivotal. But I don’t remember that. I remember thinking that it could have been one of our teachers—and their pale faces appeared to be thinking the same.
