An Afternoon with TJ

Thomas Jefferson is by far one of the figures of American history that I admire the most. His ideas were so radical at the time, but served as the backbone of our version of democracy. He was so incredibly intelligent, expressive and inventive, yet still valued his life as a farmer. A true Renaissance man; probably why I admire him so much. Above all things, he was a humanist; someone who valued the mind and heart and soul of the individual, someone who knew that it would only be through the preservation of democracy and intellectual freedom that man could flourish. The Hubs and I took advantage of the beautiful weather on Saturday and came in to the city to pay homage to Mr. Jefferson.



Here are two of my favorite men in Washington...











I love this quote that is inscribed inside the memorial. I was struck by several things there: the simplicity of the monument, its feeling of separation from the hustle and bustle of the Mall, and the gorgeous "porch" along the backside of the building. (I am sure there is a proper architectural term for it.)






I am certainly not a scholar of American history, unlike some that I know, familiar with all the details of the lives and times of our forefathers, but I consider these monuments to be truly sacred ground. As much as you can call these sacred in a true sense, without transmitting the implications of a particular religion as some try to do. Are we really able to comprehend the ideas that those men held so dear? Or do we just use them and twist them to fit our purposes? Do we stop to contemplate the Revolution at all anymore? I feel sometimes that it is all taken for granted that America exists.

Here are my parting shots of the afternoon...