After a lunch break, we headed down the road and visited FDR's boyhood home right along the Hudson River. Franklin loved to sail on the Hudson and go on daily horseback rides on the grounds. After marrying Eleanor, Franklin and Eleanor lived at the house and raised their children. FDR contracted polio in 1921 and he was paralyzed from the waist down. Eleanor cared for FDR as he recovered in the home until he was able to make his return to politics in 1928 by being elected governor of New York. FDR was elected president during the worst year of the Great Depression, 1932. For the next 12 years, he led the US through the economic recovery of the New Deal and World War II. Roosevelt often returned to his home for rest, relaxation, and to have strategy meetings where he discussed plans with his advisors about the best way to move forward in helping the country. I was honored to be able to visit Roosevelt's home and see the room he had as a boy. The museum was filled with amazing displays and an excellent collection of letters and items. I loved reading some of the actual letters written to the Roosevelts, seeing Roosevelt's heavy leg braces, reading letters between Churchill and Roosevelt, and seeing the graves of Eleanor, FDR, and their Scottie, Fala. My favorite part was taking a walk down the tree-lined walkway that FDR used as his track to regain his strength after polio. It was a long walkway, and I can only imagine the determination it took for him to regain his strength and partial mobility. He did so with a positive attitude and optimism that carried him through the pain. The lessons learned through his personal trials allowed him to lead our country through two of the biggest challenges of the twentieth century. I admire his grit, care for others and the everyday man, and ability to maintain an optimistic attitude in the face of incredible obstacles. We can all learn from his example.
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