To the ones left behind by the Columbia's destruction:

Try not to be too angry at them for having gotten killed, for having put themselves in a situation of more-than-average danger, and having not won against the odds.

And abandoning you this way.

If you can.

*****

Back when the Challenger was destroyed...I cried and cried. And my mother told me...I wasn't truly mourning the dead...I was feeing bad that I'd had to be aware of that reality.

She was right.

In any case, this time I don't mourn...I just feel very faintly bad on behalf of those left behind.

And of course glad I'm not one of them.