Having lived in the Nasa Space Center area for nearly 15 years, I have always felt something of a connection and a pride in the activities of Houstons Johnson Space Center. The Space Center itself is located across from Clear Lake, a huge recreational area which shelters over 10,000 private boats and yachts, one of the largest marina areas in the US. The Center was originally built in the old city of Naussau Bay, which has been annexed into the city of Houston. The lake is surrounded by several towns which derive a large portion of income from tourism, and from the families of the workers at Nasa and other related companies with NASA. contracts.

For a couple of years I actually lived right across the street from NASA, and also lived aboard boats at a couple of the marinas,and then later owned a house on the water at Clear Lake. Sunday I felt the need to drive over to the Center and pay my respects to the lost crew of the Columbia Shuttle. The weather on Saturday morning at the time of the accident was warm, clear, and temperatures in the 70's. A deceptively peaceful day for such a tragedy which would be painfully felt by all the whole nation, and particularly difficult for Houstonians, (some of whom had the misfortune to actually witness the airborne accident as the broken ship fell from well over 100,000 feet.)

As I cruised through Webster, Tx, down NASA Road One, and into Naussau Bay, it immediately became obvious to me that people were flocking to the Center to just be there; to just show up and let the nation and the families of the astronauts know they are in the hearts and prayers of their neighbors.

Traffic was beginning to back up as I got near. Flags were at half mast. Every parking lot had media trucks and vans with satelite antennaes extended and employees camping on the grass. Flocks of photographers strolled around with cameras as an even larger throng of people were pouring across the streets to the main gate of Johnson Space Center.

There, at the foot of the large stone sign at the entrance, a monument of rows and rows of flowers, posters, balloons, cards and people somberly stood vigil. The atmosphere was respectful, reverent and quiet. People spoke softly when they spoke at all, and none were ashamed to show their tears when the occasion arose. It was impossible to not get a lump in your throat, even if you were the baddest and the bravest one there........

Well, you know me, I'm not going to go anywhere without my recorders, so I let the digitals record while I was there, and I wondered if the spirit world would speak to me with a message in this type of tense circumstance. And indeed, we do have here some very appropriate and relevant words captured by the digital Electronic Voice Recorders of Paratexas.com.