In spite of the Back to School commercials flooding the television networks and the fact that department stores have been featuring fall clothing for weeks, it is still very much summer as far as I am concerned. My husband and I decided to take a weekend trip to Charlottesville, Virginia this past weekend. The main goals were to: (1) relax, (2) eat and (3) check out Monticello – Thomas Jefferson’s home.
Despite the oppressive heat, we were really able to take in the beauty and splendor that Jefferson, one of our founding fathers and the author of the Declaration of Independence, built in 1772.
In getting to know the 3rd president of the United States a bit better, I admired the architecture and grandeur of the property. Weaving in and out of all the rooms, I felt like I was really getting to know everything about this man and his family. Glass cases featured personal items such as journals, shoes, favorite books and other relics. I also couldn’t help but notice how many vision aids could be found in every single room – from magnifying glasses to eyeglasses.
It got me thinking – how many of our presidents actually wore glasses?
Turns out, a whopping 43 out of 44 presidents wore eyeglasses. Ronald Reagan, for instance, was rejected for service in World War I because of how bad his vision was. When he finally got prescription glasses later in life, he commented on how he never realized that trees had leaves because he wasn’t able to see the leaves before! Abraham Lincoln got his first pair of prescription glasses at age 47 which he mostly used for reading. After his assassination in 1865, the eyeglasses found in his pocket were investigated for clues.
So I say – if the presidents are doing it, shouldn’t we all be doing it? I am of course referring specifically to getting our vision checked and rockin out those specs. Here are some of my picks if you’re going for a more official looking pair:
Stay glassy,
Annie