For one thing, he had the coolest memorial. Isn't that reason enough? OK, other things about him that impressed me....he was an Architect, an Inventor, a horticulturist, a lawyer, an archaeologist, and even a paleontologist....as well as the main writer of the Declaration of Independence. No doubt a brilliant and creative man. While on our trip we travelled to Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's home. I think it was here that I was most impressed. He purchased the land his home was built on because it overlooked his boyhood home and because he had so many fond memories playing on the hills when he was a boy. How can you not like someone that is drawn back to his roots? Isn't the view beautiful?
The architecture of the home was beautiful too....as well as the gardens. But even with all the beauty there was a lot of sadness there. Several children that died, a wife lost in child birth. Signs of the time that he lived, but how hard to bear such loss.
Seeing his home, reading about him and his family made the Thomas Jefferson into a real man to me, not just some boring old president in a dusty old history book. Maybe if those History books weren't so boring back when I was a kid, President's Day wouldn't just mean a fun day off of school. Probably not....because it wasn't the boring subject matter that was the problem as much as the teen aged girl that had other things to think about. Oh well, I sort of get it now. And T.J....I think you were a pretty cool dude.
On another note....not to forget about the Olympics...the pairs figure skaters were on last night and will return tonight. So fun to watch....but those lifts and throws scare me....
....almost as much of some of their costumes!
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