eBay's Global "Village" Expresses Grief And Offers Comfort After Columbia Shuttle Tragedy
by Paula Markham
Union County Advocate staff writer and eBay Member

It was 3 a.m. Sunday morning, and I had just woken up from a terrible nightmare. As with many such dreams, the details quickly faded, leaving only the sense of horrible tragedy. I remember something about being on a ship that was sinking, and people crying, and such a sense of frustration at not being able to help them.

The nightmare was no surprise to me. After all, I had fallen asleep Saturday evening on the sofa watching news coverage of the shuttle disaster.

Being wide-awake, I logged onto my computer to see if there were others like me who couldn't banish the sadness and heartbreak from even their sleeping thoughts. Suddenly my empty home was filled with the presence of others the world over, all of whom were just as sad as I.

I might not have been able to put a face to these citizens of the world. I might not even have known their real names, as most logged into the discussion board by only their user name. But never in my life have I had such a complete sense of NOT being alone on this beautiful planet Earth.

From Robert and Melinda in California: "Our deepest condolences to the families of all seven astronauts. This is a horrible tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers to all."

From c*4, a 9/11 survivor: "My deepest sympathy for the seven lost souls and their families. I have been there and I know there is nothing anyone can say to ease the pain. We'll all remember their effort for our country.

From another 9/11 survivor, molly*marine came "...love and blessings from the Pentagon."

hatcherl in Canada added, "Although we are divided by an invisible border, our hearts belong to the same family of humanity. We are mourning for yet another tragic and unspeakable loss suffered by our neighbors. Words alone cannot express the sympathy and sadness we are feeling for the families and loved ones of the astronauts. May angels hold every one of them close through the coming days."

Another Canadian, bigaunt, responded, "... my prayers along with many Canadians are for you and for the families of those brave men and women. As President Bush alluded, 'They did not land on earth, but they are surely home.'"

As the long night wore on, I corresponded with people all over the world. It was something like a combination of a late night group hug and an impromptu memorial service, with each of us adding to the liturgy.

From silverstrad in Canada, came the famous quote from John Donne: "No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. . . . any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."

Poetry flowed through my computer monitor from every corner of the globe.

From katicksupplies: "A million times I think of you, a million times I've cried. If love alone could save you, You never would have died."

In somewhat broken English, but getting his message across, came this from Pascal in France: "I come to put my little message on the big board, I'm very sad, and first, I think to the family of the astronauts, because they need now, more than everyone else help . . . now, they are in the sky, close to God."

mutterbutt, an American responded to Pascal, "Thank you, Pascal. No message is little, especially those sharing their thoughts and feelings in our hours of grief."

From Rainer in Germany: "Hello, America, today has been a terrible day. My thoughts are with all the victims and the families of the Columbia catastrophe. It's so sad and the accident brought so much grief and pain. God bless the victims, their families, and America."

A message flew back from 99beth in the U.S., "Thank you, Germany, for thinking of us and being our good friends and neighbors!"

Two sad Israelis joined the discussion. vadfux sent the following message: "United we stand and today it matters most. The finest of two nations fell today on their service for the humankind. They will never be forgotten." moshik added, "We are all here in Israel in deep sorrow. We share our grief together with the people of the United States and India."

Responded American cassiedolly: "Our sympathies in the USA to the people of Israel in the loss of their brave astronaut."

Advice came from e26: "As Les Brown once said, 'Shoot for the moon. If you miss, you'll still land among the stars.'"

Dominique from Belgium wrote in her halting English: "This afternoon was another day like 11 September 2001, a day when others heroes are falling. A day like this still forever in our memory and everyday when remember this day, we have a prayer for the crew when still in the sky forever."

From Craig and Nicole in Australia: "May I express my sympathy to the families of the brave pioneers and God be with them. Americans and Australians seem to have a spirit that unites them together through tragedy. God bless."

Armando, an undergraduate in aeronautical engineering at The University of Texas, expressed to us his personal loss: "Kalpana Chawla was a wonderful person. I had the honor to meet her when she came back to UTA to talk about her experiences. She promised me that when she returned safely from her mission today that she would get in contact with me to talk to me about my career as an astronaut. I have always had a dream of being an astronaut since I was a very young child. I am going to continue on with my dream with her in mind. In loving memory of Kalpana Chawla, who was on her return flight from her second mission on this 1st of February, 2003. The official mission clock stopped at 15 days, 22:37."

I could go on for pages telling you of the tremendous outpouring of love and sympathy in the early morning hours of Sunday, February 2, 2003. Let me end with this, from siberian-sandy: "To quote both George Bernard Shaw and Robert F. Kennedy, 'Some men see things that are and say why? I dream things that never were, and say why not?' The seven special souls lost in the shuttle disaster lived their lives in the spirit of this quote. And in truth did more with their lives in the short time they had, than most will ever do. They knew and faced the risks, lived and died doing what they enjoyed doing, while most of us will only ever dream of what we could have been. If you seek the definition of a hero, you need only to look at the lives of these magnificent seven. They were not the first to die, and it is likely they will not be the last. May we learn the lessons we need to from their sacrifice . . . and honor their memory."

And the night went on and on and on . . . and the voices came and came and continued coming as the sun rose over the horizon. That night we were all truly one.