Birthday Celebration with an American Hero

Every once in a long while there are those moments in life when something really amazing happens and while you are having the experience you keep thinking you want to slow things down and find a way to capture the moment. Or you just want to keep pinching yourself!!   Well, that was what happened to me last week.

There have been several unbelievable moments this summer but last week was truly exceptional.  You might have read in the news that Senator Bob Dole turned 90 and there was to be a big invitation-only birthday celebration in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol.  I’m proud and honored to say that I was one of the invited guests and attended the celebration. 

The attendees were mainly some of the most significant U.S. political figures and it was mind-boggling to be surrounded with the likes of John McCain (he stood right in front of me), Michelle Bachman, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Orrin Hatch, John Boehner, Chuck Robb,Mitch McConnell, Barbara Mikulski, Cokie Roberts, Lynda Bird Johnson Robb and so many more notable public figures (my friend and I are still trying to figure out the names of some of the people we recognized but didn't know who they were)!  Messages from three U.S. Presidents were shared with the crowd and while I never saw him I heard that John Kerry poked his head in for a few minutes. 

  The invitation required that we enter the Capitol at a designated location and of course we had to go through a thorough screening.  The invitation also stated that we were not to bring in cameras though I did manage to take a few photos with my phone.  The photos aren’t really that good but there was a White House photographer on hand to take professional photos.  Maybe we will get to see them.

 The speeches at the event were so touching.  Many of the presenters offered some moving and inspiring stories about Senator Dole and his life.  The one thing that stuck with me more than anything was this.  We were ask to look around the room and see that Statuary Hall was filled with Republicans and Democrats and while politically there may be differences in opinions, the room was filled with friends.  It was further stated that when friends come together to work through issues, positive things happen. In the end we are all Americans working together for the good of our country.

At the end of the speeches there was a surprise appearance….Lee Greenwood!  He came to sing for his friends Elizabeth and Bob Dole.  Wow! What a night!

After the event many of us lingered to greet Senator Dole.  

 As the crowd thinned I took the opportunity to quietly walk through the building.  It was an amazing American moment for me and a night that I will never forget.

I just had to take this photo!!

View from one of the balconies

Such a fitting label, perfectly titled for the evening

A view of the Supreme Court from the Capitol