Quiet Power

This summer we’ve been so many amazing places and seen so many amazing things. We’ve visited museums and monuments, met Senators and Cabinet officials, and seen our government institutions from the inside. These experiences have made my summer rich and meaningful and I will never forget them. But there is one other, perhaps more understated, experience that I have also relished: seeing the Capitol at night.  

During the day, the Capitol is certainly awe-inspiring. It is bustling with people engaged in the great experiment that is our government. It is the site of hearings and debates, marches and rallies, tours and constituent visits. Decisions of great magnitude are made here. 

After dark, the Capitol’s lights come on and the surrounding areas are usually calm. I have spent many an evening here sitting on a bench and looking at the night sky. Even at the end of the summer, this experience is still surreal and humbling. There is a certain profundity in seeing the Capitol in a more peaceful state, and there is a certain thoughtfulness it provokes under the moon and stars. I have often found resolve and inspiration here. I have reflected on the millions of people whose lives are shaped in this city. I have imagined the moon rising and falling over this building over a century. And sometimes I have just enjoyed the view and night air and thought nothing. When I leave Washington next week, I will miss many things—few more than these simple moments that touched me. 

By: Elizabeth Kleinhenz

 Above: me on the Speaker's Balcony during a Capitol tour. 

 Above: the view I've come to love this summer.