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Did Monday's once-in-a-lifetime astronomical experience live up to its enormous hype?
Yes.
It wowed us, eliciting a mix of emotions. We stood transfixed, staring at the sun being engulfed by the moon. All eyes were to the sky as we watched with family, co-workers and, in some cases, people who traveled long distances whom we'll never see again. While some people watched it on TV, most Jefferson City residents donned our special glasses and went outside. We viewed the dwindling sun live - or at least on Mother Nature's eight-minute delay, which is the time it takes from light to travel the 93 million miles from the sun to the earth.
Those who planned the local events over the past few days didn't know how many people would come here to witness the rare event. Pre-event attendance estimates varied widely, and the actual attendance - estimated at around 25,000 - was somewhat underwhelming, many said. Part of that was likely due to weather forecasts that predicted partly cloudy skies.
Some might suggest the level of planning for the events was overkill. But everyone involved, from event planners to law enforcement agencies, did the right thing by planning for the unknown.
For those who decided not to come, it was their loss. The weather cooperated, and the view was spectacular. Cheers erupted across the Capitol lawn when the sky darkened during totality.
From what we heard, those who made the trek here were glad they did. Shortly afterward, Linda and Tom Roman of Mansfield, Texas, wrote to the News Tribune to complement the city on its well-organized and safe events. "We will tell our Texas friends and family that they must visit Jefferson City if they want to experience a great American community," the couple wrote.
Most Baby Boomers can recall exactly where they were when President Kennedy was shot and killed. A younger generation can say the same thing about hearing of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
For the current generation, hopefully that one "moment in time" that's etched into memory will be the day we came together over something joyful - the day the sun briefly disappeared and we bonded as a community over a rare and wondrous event in our solar system.