What It Takes

It is always a good thing to stop once and a while and reflect back on our lives and the lives of others in order to gain a better understanding of where we are in the world and where we long to be.

I awoke a little later than I cared to this morning, grabbed my 16oz cup of coffee with Irish Cream flavoring, microwaved a bowl of instant oatmeal, pulled a banana from it's basket and proceeded to sit in my living room and turn on the t.v.. Syfy was broadcasting some old rerun of an eighties television show in all of it's cheesy glory. It took me but five minutes to decide to change the channel. Of course for me the next obvious choice would be channel 39, The History Channel. I never really followed too much history in high school, oh sure enough to get by with passing grades, but my mind was more focused on art and creativity and couldn't be bothered to retain information that, to me, was irrelevant in my daily life. Boy was I wrong. I find myself making up for that way of adolescent thinking a lot now that I am older.

It was about 10:15am and THC was showing a biography on Franklin Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States. Little did I know that this was a three hour event, but once I started watching I could not stop. I am not going to review this program or point out the highlights of this man's life and career, but I will say that this program is well worth the downtime to sit and watch in it's entirety. I came away realizing what being a great man and leader is all about. FDR was both of these. Did he make some mistakes in his unprecedented four terms in office? Of course, but the greatness that he acquired for this country and the changes that he helped bring about for the world are still felt today. The overwhelming support he received from the people was testament to this fact. What really affected me emotionally is how much physical pain he endured while in office, he was basically crippled with polio, and his pure determination to see things through no matter what his health condition. His presidency revolved around some of this Country's darkest moments, The Great Depression and World War II, but still he managed to pull this nation through it all to become the super power it is today. I came away afterward with a much deeper respect for what the office of the President of the United States is all about. It is a place for great men to do great things not only for this country but for the world. While there have been many great men to lead this nation before and after FDR's tenure, there have been few who have made life changing sacrifices needed to see this country through the darkest of times. Although it would be 22 years after President Roosevelt's death before I would come to be, I can now look back through the eyes and memories of others almost 75 years later and see how true greatness in a leader is achieved. Someone once said, "Some men are born into greatness and others have greatness thrust upon them" , FDR embodies both of these persona's.