Monday, February 21 is President’s Day and the following day, February 22, is President George Washington’s birthday.  I thought it would be interesting to read a little bit about our country’s first president and pass along some of what I learned.

George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, near Popes Creek, Westmoreland County , Virginia .  He was the eldest child of Augustine and Mary [Ball] Washington. His father was a landowner, part owner of an iron-works and county justice of the peace.

President Washington had little formal education, but did attend local schools for part of his youth.  He farmed his father’s land.  He had an aptitude for mathematics and this led to him becoming a surveyor.  His other accomplishments in the military and public service include:  Major, Southern District Virginia militia; Lieutenant Colonel in the French and Indian Wars; Colonel and Commander, Virginia Forces; Virginia House of Burgesses; Justice of the Peace, Fairfax County (Virginia); First and Second Continental Congress; Commander of the Continental army; President of the Constitutional Convention; and First President of the United States.

It is widely held that Washington was a man of great character.  His moral sense directed both his private and public life.  One’s habits and temperament comprise a person’s character.  Washington knew that if he was to have a good reputation, he had to be a good man. He told Alexander Hamilton one time, “I hope I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain (what I consider the most enviable of all titles) the character of an honest man, as well as prove (what I desire to be considered in reality) that I am.”

In Washington ’s official eulogy, written by John Marshall and delivered by Rep. Richard Henry Lee, he said, “First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen, he was second to none in humble and enduring scenes of private life.  Pious, just, humane, temperate, and sincere; dignified, and commending; his example was as edifying to all around him as were the effects of that example lasting….  Correct throughout, vice shuddered in his presence and virtue always felt his fostering hand.  The purity of his private character gave effulgence” [splendor and brilliance] “to his public virtues.”  Thomas Jefferson wrote of him later:  "He was indeed a wise, a good and a great man.  His integrity was most pure; his justice the most inflexible I have ever known.  He was incapable of fear, meeting personal dangers with the calmest unconcern.”

That is a noble thing to strive for, to be the same person you are in private, as you seem to be in public.  I believe our nation is a great nation because those who fought for our life, liberty and happiness were aware of the connection between one’s public and private life and they strived to be, in fact, what they seemed to be.

It was enjoyable to read about President Washington.  Learning about the lives of those involved first hand in our country’s founding makes me thankful for the sacrifices they made.  Although President’s Day is not a high profile holiday, I would encourage you to take some time and consider how fortunate we are to have had people such as Washington fight for freedom.

That’s my perspective.