January 28

Today is one of those days in life that stick with you - December 7 (although few of us were around in 1941), November 22 (although I wasn't alive in 1963), September 11, and January 28 - to name just a few.

I was in first grade on January 28, 1986. And unlike many American schoolchildren, my class was not watching the Challenger space shuttle take off. My first memory is coming into my classroom after our lunch and recess and our teacher telling us that the space shuttle had exploded. After school I raced to my aunt's house to watch the news. Growing up, I had watched several space shuttle launches and touchdowns, but this one was special for obvious reasons. The space program forever changed, and the world lost 7 wonderful heroes. Those 7 astronauts were husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. They had people who loved them more than life itself whose lives were forever changed by that day.

But January 28 is a day of remembrance for another reason. Just one year before the space shuttle disaster - on January 28, 1985 - my uncle passed away due to a car accident. I was only in kindergarten, but I remember certain points of that day with uncanny clarity for being so young. Not only did he leave behind a wife but also his 7 children, who feel his loss to this day. My thoughts and prayers are with them today and every January 28! Now, 26 years later, my father is the only sibling left of a family of 5. One sister died in infancy; my aunt passed away in 2003; my uncle passed away in 2009; and of course, my uncle died in 1985.

It still amazes me to this day how one minute we can be here and another minute we are gone. Each of the dates I mentioned above (and so many others for so many people) began like any other day. One instance - one turn of events - lead to a life-altering moment. So, as I reflect of the date of January 28, I also reflect on every loved one I have lost through the years.

May we all go home tonight and tell those that we love how much we love them and thank God for every day we get to have with them!