I am no fan of football, but I cannot help to be moved deeply each by this singular event, which brings together Americans from all walks of life in a single act. Whether they’re excitedly cheering for a favorite team, waiting anxiously for innovative commercials, or enjoying the spectacle of a halftime show, there’s nothing else like it. In a world where more and more people have been drawn apart from each other due to the advent of social media and the like, the Super Bowl is a rare opportunity to sit down with the ones you love or cherish and engage with them (a process repeated in millions of homes and schools across our nation).

This Super Bowl did not fail to disappoint in playing to our collective emotions. Aside from the Patriots’  extraordinary and unprecedented comeback against all odds, we saw bipartisan cheers for the elderly, ailing former President George H.W. Bush and his wife, Barbara, as he entered NRG Stadium in a wheelchair to perform the coin toss. In a time when partisan divisions are at an all time high, this was particularly moving to me, as was the regularly scheduled performance of the national anthem.

And of course, Lady Gaga’s elegant, but breathtaking halftime show left us all mesmerized. I don’t think we’ll ever see the likes of it again, and it cemented her as one of the all-time great artists of our age. Combining the power of her voice, spectacular acrobatics, and suave dance moves, she gave a performance that I suspect will resonate decades from now.

May all future Super Bowls try to live up to this one.