Reflections from Potomac

It’s 7 a.m. and all of the ants in Potomac are running around trying to assemble the perfect accessories to go along with our American Legion Auxiliary Girls Nation uniforms. Today, Thursday, is the most important day of the week to us all; the day we meet President Barack Obama and it was our awesome Junior Counselor Hayley Lund’s birthday.

The day was filled with multiple emotions. It started with exhaustion and continued with anticipation. By the time we finally had the opportunity to meet the president; the room was filled with elation. Some girls broke into tears, others were numb with shock.

It seems as though the weather reflected our emotions during the day. Before our White House visit we were stressed, not only because we were meeting the president, but because of campaigns, speeches, and lack of sleep. After meeting President Obama, Washington D.C. was met with a torrential downpour. It seemed symbolic of our emotions. The rain washed away our tensions and stress, and led us into another portion of our lives.

The sun shined before our meeting, but the seemingly deliberate rain reminded us of understanding. Today we had the unique opportunity to see the human that stands behind the politics of America. He was kind, funny, and warm as he stood before us and asked, “so, how’s everything?” Whether or not we all support his policies, every girl here could agree that meeting Obama is one of the coolest things we’ve ever had the privilege to do.

We express our thanks to the White House staff, Verna Jones of the D.C. American Legion offices, and the American Legion Auxiliary. We are infinitely grateful for these rare opportunities we have been afforded and we cannot wait to bring this new found passion, joy, and knowledge back to our own communities.

We rushed back onto the buses with smiles on our faces, some with tears in their eyes, and notified everyone at home via phone calls and social media. We shared our joy with those we love.

Coming back to the 4-H Center on a high, the Potomac girls had flag-lowering duty, which we all enjoyed so much that we would love to do it one more time. After doing community activities together, we find that we love each other more and more.

The Senate sessions remain hectic and stressful, but necessary for all of us to attain the skills to share and defend our ideas. As our last day approaches, we don’t want to leave. We will cherish these last moments together and urge all of the other communities to do the same.

With Love,

Potomac