The title of this blog post will probably never sink in. I will admit that I am posting about this experience 9 months after the fact. Aside from the typical excuse that I have been too busy to post, I can honestly say that this was one of the most surreal experiences of my life and I just needed to give it time to fully sink in. I was proud and elated to be there, yet there was a sense of feeling that I didn’t belong. It is so difficult to explain, but perhaps easy to understand, if you knew where I grew up. Even now when I think about this moment and replay the day, hour-by-hour, I still can’t help but to think that if it was such an impactful experience for me, how it must have felt to the people in the room that worked so fiercely to grant me (and others) the opportunity to be there.

I cannot take any credit for this once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, but I can point you in the direction of who can. That would be my best friend of 26 years, Crystal. I will refrain from sharing her full name or image in this post to respect her privacy, but if you know her, you can attest to the brilliance and resilience that has gotten her to where she is now. She is one of the smartest people I know and has truly paved the way for herself in a way that I do not think either one of us could have imagined at the ripe age of 17 when we first met. Shout out to Champs Sports in First Colony Mall!

I digress. Back to the experience at hand. I received a text from her one afternoon asking if I wanted to be her plus one for a “thing” in New York City. The invitation was concrete but the details were vague and discreet. I, as any good friend would, said yes without hesitation. Without a single additional detail, I booked my plane ticket that evening. After a few days, I received the news. She announced to me that she was an integral part of the team that was taking a company public at the New York Stock Exchange. We were going to have the opportunity not only to enter the premises of this coveted financial institution, but also to watch the bell ring live, in front of a global audience, while standing on one of the most, if not the most, important and influential floors in the world.

The day prior to the ringing of the bell included a decadent dinner at Harry’s (read about that in this post) while the day-of started with a casual breakfast followed by a series of business errands, meet and greets and photo ops. After a check of our I.D.’s, a walk through a metal detector or two and a confirmation on a VIP guest checklist, we officially entered the walls of the New York Stock Exchange. The excitement was contagious and perfectly paired with a sense of anxiety and nervousness. Speeches were given, branded silver coins were handed out to commemorate the occasion and adult libations and hors d’oeuvres were passed all in a guilded room equipped with flashing LED screens and bright stage lights. The pomp and circumstance of the day led up to the pivotal moment. It was time for us to walk on the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange to ring the bell. We assembled by the elevators as we were escorted to take our positions under the famous balcony where I have seen some of the largest and most profitable companies in the world previously ring the bell. By the way, when seen on television, the balcony appears to be 30′ feet in the air, hovering above the entire trading floor. In reality, it is about 10′ in the air sitting slightly above the monitors that display every ebb and flow that the stock market endures on a daily (or hourly, I should say) basis.

The clock struck 4 pm EST and the ringing began. For 30 seconds, the bell was proudly rung by a group of executives and employees alike while other employees, family members and friends stood below and pridefully watched history happen. I will never forget the sound of that bell. Even now when I randomly hear the bell ring on while watching a television or on social media, I cannot help but to digress back to this very moment. Emotions ran rampant and for good reason. This was a well deserved accomplishment for all involved including the one who made this unforgettable experience possible for me. The most exuberant and heartfelt thank you is simply not enough in this case. No combination of words will ever be.