Gratitude

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Isn't Earth splendid? Isn't life on Earth grand? Isn't the human species amazing? Without a doubt, the answer to all three questions is a resounding, "Yes, indeed." The purpose of this page is to pause, reflect, honor, and treasure Earth. The purpose of this page also is to celebrate all of the wonderful life forms on Earth.

For better or worse, humans should be grateful for having been fortunate enough to participate in this miraculous and splendrous thing known as life. Whether a future of Heaven or Hell, life on Earth remains what humans choose to make of it.

Magnificent Planet Earth and Beyond

Space Shuttle and Crew Lost During Re-Entry left to right, David M. Brown, Rick D. Husband, Laurel B. Clark, Kalpana Chawla, Michael P. Anderson, William C. McCool, and Ilan Ramon (Credit: STS-107 Crew, NASA)

Atlantis Reflection (Credit: NASA, Bill Ingalls)

The Flight Deck of Space Shuttle Endeavour (Image Credit & Copyright: Ben Cooper (Launch Photography), Spaceflight Now)

The Last Launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour (Credit: NASA)

Space Shuttle Rising (Credit: NASA)

The International Space Station Over Earth (Credit: STS-128 Crew, NASA)

Space Shuttle and Space Station Photographed Together (Credit: NASA)

A Busy Space Walk at the Space Station (ISS Expedition 28 Crew, STS-135 Crew, NASA)

To Fly Free in Space (Credit: STS-41B, NASA)

Atlantis' Last Approach (Credit: ISS Expedition 28 Crew, STS-135 Crew, NASA)

The Earth and Moon Planetary System (Credit: Northwestern University, JPL, NASA)

50 Years Ago: Yuri's Planet (Credit: ISS Expedition 7 Crew, EOL, NASA)

Blue Marble Earth from Suomi NPP (Credit: NASA/NOAA/GSFC/Suomi NPP/VIIRS/Norman Kuring)

Ripples Through a Dark Sky [Credit & Copyright: P-M Heden (Clear Skies, TWAN)]

Starry Night over Dubai [Credit & Copyright: Babak Tafreshi (TWAN)]

Shuttle Enterprise Over New York (Credit: NASA, Bill Ingalls)

Earth's Shrinking Antarctic Ice Sheet [Credit: Ben Holt Sr. (South Pasadena, CA), GRACE team, DLR, NASA)]

A Space Shuttle Over Los Angeles (Image Credit & Copyright: Stephen Confer)

Endeavour's Final Flight Ends at Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2012 (Credit: NASA/Matt Hedges)

The Sun Unleashed (NASA / Goddard / SDO AIA Team)

Eight Planets and New Solar System Designations (Credit: International Astronomical Union)

Spiral Galaxy M74 [Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration]

Galaxy Abell 1689's 'Gravitational Lens' Magnifies Light of Distant Galaxies [Credit: NASA, N. Benitez (JHU), T. Broadhurst (Racah Institute of Physics/The Hebrew University), H. Ford (JHU), M. Clampin (STScI), G. Hartig (STScI), G. Illingworth (UCO/Lick Observatory), the ACS Science Team and ESA]

NASA's Hubble Looks to the Final Frontier (Credit: NASA, ESA, and J. Lotz (STScI))

Fun, Fun, Fun

Balloon launch at the Great Pershing Balloon Derby near Brookfield, Missouri on September 4, 2005. Photo taken by Joe DeShon.

Image Credit: Joe DeShon

Celebrating Life on Earth through Music and Dance

Watch (Laid Back, White Horse)

Watch (Technotronic, Pump Up The Jam)

Watch (Major Lazer and DJ Snake featuring M0, Lean On)

Watch (Fifth Harmony featuring Kid Ink, Worth It)

Watch (Aaliyah featuring Missy Elliott and Timbaland, Hot Like Fire)

Watch (Sade, Sweetest Taboo)

Watch (Skrillex and Diplo featuring Justin Bieber, Where Are U Now)