Drive. Pray. Scream?: Day 117: The Man Who Would NOT Be King

Mount Vernon, George Washington's estate overlooking the Potomac, is a national treasure...a world-class museum that does much more than provide a glimpse of life in 18th century America. It allows visitors to see the man himself. And thanks to forensic scientists, that statement is close to literal; all of the best representations of Washington (in sculpture and paintings) were compared to written descriptions, his clothing, even his dentures, to create lifesize figures of the man at various milestones of his life.

Of all the accomplishments and character strengths of Washington, perhaps none is greater than his insistence on handing over the reins of power...not just once, but twice. The first, when resigning his military commission following the end of the Revolutionary War. Cromwell and Napoleon couldn't let go of such power. And then Washington let go a second time, following his two terms as president. He saw himself first and foremost as a Virginia farmer, and his belief in the Constitution and all that the Declaration of Independence stood for were worth upholding by stepping aside.

In the sometimes brief interludes of retirement at Mount Vernon, Washington pursued his passions of sustainable farming, developing many cutting edge practices. And in the year following his terms as President, he and Martha played host to 677 overnight visitors! The plantation was a busy place...many important visitors, a constant parade of grandchildren, bustling business ventures, and more than 300 slaves (many of whom he freed upon his death).

Our perceptions of the Father of America are deeper; and our time at Mount Vernon was made more special by the company of one of my DePauw roomies, Betsy. She lavished sweet attention on the girls, who did all but turn inside out in their enthusiasm to engage with her. We look forward to more time with her in the next couple of days.