"The only realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith." From an Undelivered Jefferson Day speech by FDR.Was to be given April 13, 1945. He died the 12 of April.
Last Friday I spent most of the day in Warm Springs,Ga. Anyone familer with history knows that Warm Springs holds a strong place in US history. Franklin D. Roosevelt arrived in Warm Springs in the mid 1920s to receive treatment for his paralysis. He was stricken with polio at age 39 and lost most of the use of his legs.
Warm Springs in mainly made up of antique shops and specialty stores but you can still find traces of FDR all around.
You can visit the train station where he arrived on his visits to Warm Springs. You can see the Roosevelt Rehab Center. It is a world class rehabilitation center that grew out of the orginal warm springs. You can visit Dowdells Knob and see where Roosevelt entertained national and world leaders on picnics. The centerpieces of Warm Springs is the actual Warm Springs and FDR's house there known to everyone as "The Little White House".
I am a huge history buff and one of my things is to actually go and stand where things happened. There are a few places that have always been on my list to go and visit. Philadelphia, The White House, Gettysburg Battlefield, the Statue Of Liberty and I have been able to visit all those places. I visited Warm Springs as a child and went to the Little White house then but as always it is different when you visit as an adult. There are places that I have yet to visit but want to ..Those include Scotland, the beaches of Nomandy and the beaches of Anzio, Italy.
The Little White House is different than many other museums because this one lets you actually get in the house and see things up close. You can stand literally inches from the Presidents bed, you can touch the items in the kitchen and see the inscription on the wall made by the Presidents cook ...she wrote the following "I cooked the first meal and the last meal eaten by Pres.FDR in this house .April 12,45."
It was in Warm Springs that FDR got his political legs back. He learned to connect with the people on such a different level. One historian said that we should thank God that FDR contracted polio and lost the use of his legs ...because of this he came to Georgia, swam in the pools and met people who had nothing . He realized that he was just like them on so many levels.
The historian says that because of this FDR learned how to deal with things when he became president. He could lift people up. People would listen to him on the radio and go away thinking that things are bad but they are getting better. FDR saved America.
Some folks have video games or sports ...I have history ....I am a geek about it...and I dig Franklin D. Roosevelt.....he was flawed on many levels but what person is not. He used the things in his life to help others ...to lift them up ....our leaders today should do the same thing.
If you have never gone to Warm Springs....You should ...it is an easy drive up the interstate.
Go soon .
Other Things.......
98,100,99.....these are not the scores of someones tests they are the actual temperatures we have been having lately . The people who keep records said it is the hottest summer ever recorded in US history . It was 107 degrees in South Dakota last week one day .....
There are two things that amaze me about all this mess....
1. That folks actually enjoy it !!?!!??! I mean come on folks.....I am not suprised that its this hot ...it is summer for goodness sakes but I am always suprised to hear folks say how much they enjoy the warm weather!!!!!!! WARM WEATHER its warm in Alaska right now ....IT IS HOT HERE. My sister in law loves to lay by the pool on the weekends and get sun. I think she is nuts .
2. That folks are suprised its this hot. I talked to a friend the other day in Atlanta and he said "my God its hot man....I cannot believe its this hot" Why not ? Scientist have been telling us for years that the Earth is warming up. Some folks say its part of the natural cycle. But there are nearly 7 billion people on this planet. The vast majority of them use cars . Industry spews waste into the sky daily. I understand that the Earth goes through cycles but you cannot tell me that we are not contributing something to the problem.
I am counting the days till fall and then winter. Until then its mind over matter!!!
I close with a few quotes and sayings
Dont hate yourself in the morning ...sleep until noon.
Show me a sane man and I will cure him.---Carl Jung
If at first you dont succeed, skydiving might not be for you!
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