Astronaut Mark Kelly flying on a wing and a prayer
I watched a 鈥� Gabby Giffords鈥檚 husband 鈥� speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington on Thursday. The astronaut was talking about his congresswoman wife, of course, gratefully reporting on her steady progress. He also talked about the profound effect of her shooting on his own faith.
鈥淢aybe something good can come from all this,鈥� he found himself telling her a few nights ago. 鈥淢aybe it鈥檚 our responsibility, maybe it鈥檚 your responsibility, to see that something does,鈥� he said to those at the breakfast.
As Mr. Kelly continued, I found my thoughts orbiting away from the Tucson shootings to the demonstrations in Egypt, applying the astronaut鈥檚 comments to that uncertain situation. Something good can come from these protests. And, as Kelly said, goodness does require a common responsibility to work for it. In Egypt, it means a joint effort by demonstrators and also by leaders to respond to the protesters鈥� calls for freedom and a better way of life.
Kelly went beyond human responsibility, though, to add prayer as an active force for good. He asked that the nation keep his wife in prayer, because 鈥渋t鈥檚 helping.鈥� And by prayer, he explained, he didn鈥檛 just mean petitioning, but also listening, and giving gratitude. Again, I thought of Egypt.
The astronaut鈥檚 remarks sent me to the other side of the world, of course, because of their universality. Working together, listening for the way, giving thanks 鈥� these are ways that individuals can move entire countries forward, or just themselves and their communities.
Kelly will announce later today that he intends to accompany the space shuttle Endeavour on its last flight after all. The view from space communicates in an instant the messages that Kelly delivered on Thursday. Precious few of us have the privilege to see that view. I鈥檓 glad Kelly shared it with us this week.
