having a hero

We all know that President's Day is coming up next week (hooray for 3-day weekends!) originally celebrating the combined birthdays of two of our greatest presidents, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. 

Washington is the hometown hero around these parts. There's a parade in Alexandria in his honor and his home, Mount Vernon (incidentally, one of my favorite places to visit in the area), holds special wreath laying ceremonies and has birthday cake and everything. There's even a visitation by the general (he tends to take this label more often than president) himself. His actual birthday is February 22.

Lincoln's birthday gets a tiny bit of fanfare.  We do have a beautiful monument to him after all. But unless it's a noteworthy anniversary (like the 200th a few years ago) he's mostly just lumped into the general celebrations on the Monday holiday. His actual birthday is February 12. Today! 

A friend posted this link on her facebook wall and it made me giggle so I just had to share.

I've long been fascinated by Charles Darwin and Lincoln is also a hero. I love imagining the two of them chilling together complimenting each others' beards! In reality though, could you imagine the conversation between those two great minds? What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall!

Care to learn more than what wikipedia might have to say about them? Give these things a glance.

Darwin's Four Great Books
I haven't read them in their entirety yet but have perused both On the Origin of Species and Voyage of the Beagle. Fascinating stuff.

Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith
An engaging biography focusing on the relationship between Darwin and his very religious wife.

Along the same lines, the movie Creation looked at their relationship and his struggles with faith and belief in God (and his decline in health.)

This award-winning photobiography gives a great overview of Lincoln's life and has stunning pictures to boot.

This sweet fictionalized picture book
focuses on Lincoln's relationship with his sons and the heartache he experienced after losing young Willie.

 And of course, there's the highly acclaimed movie based on Doris Kearns Goodwin's book.  I haven't seen it yet but have heard nothing but good about it. Perhaps I'll find a matinee on Monday. It seems only appropriate!






What have I missed? What are your favorite books, movies, mentions about these great subjects? Who are your heroes?