Cherish

A treasure trove of quotations from 26th U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt can be found on the blessed internet -- some are from speeches, some from essays, and a book that he wrote, and some are even from letters he wrote to various people including his children.

(Having it made clear to me that President Roosevelt wasn't just walking around creating "sound bites" all the time made me see that it was realistic that he could have said all of these things. ...)

a sampling of "TR" quotes:

"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing."

"I am an American...I acknowledge no man as my superior, except for his own worth, or as my inferior, except for his own demerit."

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."

"The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it."

"I am a part of everything that I have read."

"We despise and abhor the bully, the brawler, the oppressor, whether in private or public life, but we despise no less the coward and the voluptuary.  No man is worth calling a man who will not fight rather than submit to infamy or see those that are dear to him suffer wrong."

"Every reform movement has a lunatic fringe."
-----------(Man, that's the one I needed to hear, and be reminded of!  It isn't the whole country, it's the "lunatic fringe"...)------

"Politeness is a sign of dignity, not subservience."

================= and speaking of TR's interest in, and promotion of, conservation, I was writing in my notebook and got to thinking, they go through time-periods where there's a different word for taking good care of our environment:

Conservation  (in the 1960s, and probably 50s and before)
Ecology  (1970s)
Environment  (1980s and 90s)
Green and also Sustainable  (21st Century)...

. . . and one of the things President Theodore Roosevelt said about -- well, all of the above -- was,
"Here is your country.  Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children's children.  Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance."

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