James Madison served as the fourth President of the United States from 1809 to 1817, immediately preceding James Monroe. History textbooks refer to him as the “Father of the Constitution” as he acted as the driving force in drafting both the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
A short three years prior to that seminal event, Madison traveled from Baltimore to Fort Stanwix to negotiate with the Iroquois Confederacy. Accompanying him was a young French general and a protégé of George Washington. That would be the Marquis de Lafayette.
This chance meeting formed what would become a lifelong bond between the two men. Very early on, Madison recognized Lafayette’s affinity with the American Indians, as well as Continue Reading “Lafayette On The Folly Of Tolerance”
Ode To Fire And Ice (Cream)
There he stood, a master of opposing forces. On one hand, he expertly guided his sons through the jungle of alpha manliness. On the other, he showed undying tenderness towards his daughters. He could be a disciplined taskmaster, yet just as quickly turn into a jolly clown.
Through it all, as you drilled deeper into his heart, you discovered the impish smile. He knew his talents and shared them with unrestrained joy. Yet, he also knew his limits, and just as gladly allowed others to shine above him.
He thrived in this dichotomy of opposites, well aware how he could summon them to create a powerful whirlwind of meaning, influence, and steadfast certainty. For him, it wasn’t a philosophical exercise akin to Yin and Yang. No, such a thought would repel him.
Instead, it was the raw energy that percolates in the hearth of real life, forged from the Continue Reading “Ode To Fire And Ice (Cream)”