This happened to me last Sunday........
My daughter is a member of the "Smurf" cheerleading squad ....... 6-8 year olds. Every weekend they cheer for the "Smurf" football team. Last Sunday we had a game in another small town (Quincy for you local guys) about 25 minutes away from home.
The field was actually in a natural little bowl/basin at the base of the mountains. It was a cool, crisp day with big puffy white clouds intermittantly covering the sun. A great day for football.
When everyone was asked to stand for the National Anthem we all turned toward the flag...... which was across the field from the bleachers where we were sitting. The flag was on a tall flagpole and the backdrop for the flag was actually the mountains. So there was Old Glory, the beautiful red, white and blue waving against the backdrop of the just turning leaves of the mountains, everyone there turned to look at her.
We were at the naturally furthest point from the flag where I could see the ball field stretched out in front of me, players standing with hands over their hearts, cheerleaders doing the same.......every adult gazing at the Flag..... men with hats removed..... and that amazing song coming thru the speakers and floating out across the field and then into the mountains themselves.
Right at the moment of the anthem "O say does that Star Spangled Banner" I got goosebumps as I had the very distinct feeling of being the luckiest man alive. If a had not had my very dark sunglasses on, everyone would have seen the tears welled up in my eyes..........
