Earthbound

Ground control to Commander Chris Hadfield --- welcome home.

In a few minutes you and your two fellow astronauts will drop through the atmosphere and land somewhere in Kazakhstan. After five months of orbiting our planet, you will touch down, down to earth, once again.

I started each morning with your tweets, "Good Morning Earth" and incredible captures of our world. And each night I would go to bed after checking in for your "finale" photograph. I watched intently as you showed us what happens to your tears when you cry in space; and sang along with you when you dueted with Ed Robertson of the Bare Naked Ladies from the International Space Station (ISS). And you taught us that you could be serious and competent, with humour! I laughed when you tweeted that you broke the tie on your pajama bottoms, but that it was ok - they wouldn't fall down!

You reached out and shared the wonder of space and showed us new ways of looking at our home planet. Your enthusiasm was palpable and contagious, and somehow your upbeat optimism stirred hope within us. You took us along for the journey.

 When you formally handed over the ISS to the new command, I shed a little tear - and I am pretty sure you did too. Thank you Chris Hadfield for all you've done and shared. You make me proud to  be Canadian - and an Earthling.