Presidential Quotes

It's the night before the Inauguration, and I was doing some surfing and found two quotes that I feel resonate with me at this time in my life. No, they're not about Democracy, the spirit of America, or hopes and dreams - rather, they serve as two reminders, one for the present and one for the future, of where I'd like to be.

"Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential." - B. Obama

"This is my last day in Kennebunkport after almost five months of great happiness. There is something about this place that gets into one's very soul. Don't you agree? I had a little plaque made. It says CAVU. C-A-V-U was the kind of weather we Navy pilots wanted when we were to fly off our carrier in the Pacific -- "Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited." I will not pass by it without realizing how lucky I am, for the plaque describes my own life -- as it has been over the years, as it is right now." - G H.W. Bush - (letter to children reflecting on his life)

If you have time, watch American Experience's "The Presidents" - they're excellent documentaries and really makes you appreciate the complexities and challenges of the office; particularly, making decisions in real-time without the benefit of hindsight (it's easy to play Monday Morning Commander-In-Chief). I enjoyed Truman, Regan, and surprisingly - H.W. Bush (have not seen Roosevelt).