It’s 6 a.m., the sun is starting to rise, and the line has grown so long that you can no longer see where it ends, as it has wrapped around the building. You’re either leaning against a wall, sitting on the floor, or envying those wise enough to bring camping chairs and enough snacks to hold them out. These are the thoughts rushing through your mind as you’re waiting for Secretary Hillary Clinton’s arrival, where you’ll (hopefully) get to shake her hand and have your copy of “What Happened” signed. You’ve been here for close to two hours, and there’s six more to go, so you better get comfortable.
None of the aforementioned is hypothetical, because I braved it out myself and took a train at 2 a.m. to go to a Costco in Connecticut where the former secretary herself would be signing her newest and most candid memoir. I knew it would be a long wait, and I knew that wait would be worth it, but reflecting on it now, I don’t think I ever realized it would be life-changing.
Standing in that line for well over seven hours, I met mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, as well as individuals just like me who had traveled alone for hours to get a mere moment with Hillary Clinton. They had been waiting for this moment for their entire lives, and we heard each other’s stories on why Hillary inspired us to come all this way just to thank her.
At one point, one of the men in line left for about half an hour, only to come back with enough breakfast and coffee for everyone in line. Another man had slept in front of Costco for 18 hours because his son had begged him to meet the secretary, and he wanted to make sure he was first in line. As the hours went on, it was easy to forget why we were all there. I ended up having to buy a Costco membership at the last minute, because I didn’t realize I wouldn’t be able to enter the building without one. I did part of my homework, drank more coffee than I could keep track of, and patiently awaited her arrival.
When the moment came, I was number 67 out of the 1,000 people who received wristbands. After a strict, airport-style security check, I was let into a smaller room in the back of the store which had been draped in black fabric and inundated with Secret Service agents. The line inched forward slowly, and as I clenched my copies of “What Happened” and “It Takes A Village,” I saw her sleek blonde hair contrasted against a navy pantsuit only a few feet away from me.
Could this really be her? The first woman to speak at a major party’s national convention? The woman who was an attorney, First Lady, Senator, and Secretary of State, as well as a feminist icon? It was her. She was right there in front of me, the woman who meant so much to me, who I cast my first vote for, and the moment was here to thank her.
As soon as it was my turn to step forward and shake her hand, something I did not see coming happened: I started crying uncontrollably. I held her hand and she asked me for my name, inquired about my studies, and my plans for the future. Through the muffled sounds of my tears I told her I had cast my very first vote for her, and she said, “You have no idea how much that means to me, Isabela.”
By this point I had drawn so much attention to myself that one her Secret Service agents had to get me a tissue. Usually, the idea of crying in public would mortify me, but in this case I did not care at all. It was my most real and honest reaction. On the train ride home I called my mom, aunt, grandmother, and all of my dearest friends. They knew how much this meant to me, and they all expressed how happy they were that I let my guard down and unapologetically shared my inner-most self.
No matter who your hero is, I encourage you to go out of your way to meet them. I had missed the secretary’s previous book signing hosted only blocks away from school because it was scheduled while I had class, and I instantly regretted it. Yes, going to class is important, but what you do with your knowledge is of far greater consequence, and that’s exactly what our heroes teach us. For me, that person is Hillary Clinton, and I knew I had to do whatever it took to meet her. That’s why I went out of my way to meet my hero, and it’s exactly why you should too.
[Feature Image by Unsplash]