The sun shines on a snow and ice-covered world. Tiny sparkles of diamonds and rubies glitter in my yard as the sun picks hidden jewels out of the snow. The sky arches an innocent blue over all but never mind that–tonight we have about a 30 per cent chance of more snow. Of course, that means there is a 70 per cent chance that we will have none.
Yesterday was Presidents’ Day and today I’m thinking about our third President, Thomas Jefferson. Mr. Jefferson is one of my favorite Founding Fathers, the chief architect of the Declaration of Independence.
What a gifted, talented, wise person and how he blessed the United States of America! Mr. Jefferson embraced the rights of the individual. He was an architect and was interested in architecture, religion and philosophy. He was fluent in Spanish, French, Greek, Italian and Latin. My only question is how did he learn and do all those things in his lifetime? He died at the age of 83 on the same day as his friend John Adams, July 4, 1826, the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Some quotes by Thomas Jefferson: “Determine never to be idle…It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.”
“I have never believed there is one code of morality for a public and another for a private man.”
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.”
“Never spend your money before you have it.”
Another humorous but pithy quote from a much later President, Ronald Reagan: “The most terrifying words in the English language are ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help you.'”
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