APersonIAdmire——FranklinRoosevelt
Timesneedheroes,andheroesstandout.FranklinRooseveltisjustaheroofthetimes.Wellknownforhisunprecedented13yearsasthePresidentofU.S.,heisregardedasasaviorofAmerica.However,itisnothisbrilliantachievementsthatattractme.WhatIreallyadmirearesomequalitiesshininginhiswholelifesuchasfortitude,courageandalsohisamiability.
Hisearlytime,Imeanbeforehisforties,wassmooth.Hewasbornrichandhadahappymarriage.AftergraduatingfromHarvard,heservedintheNavy.Atthattime,hehadalreadyshownhisremarkableleadershipandsincehisunclewasaPresident,hewouldsurelyenterthepoliticalarena.Buteverythingchangedwhenhewas39.Healthyandstrongashewas,hewasattackedbypolioafterswimming,whichcausedthelifelongdeformityinhislegs.Itwasextremelyhardforthisambitiousmantofacethemisfortune.Hewas,ofcourse,inabadmoodandwantedtogiveupallhisdreamsatfirst.Then,aftercarefulthinking,hefinallydecidedtobestirhimself.Hewasnotaman
easytosurrender.Againhetookpartinpoliticalactivitiesand,atthesametime,practicedstandingupandthenwalkingwithastick.Eventuallythisbravemanwonthebattleagainstfate.HebecametheonlydisabledPresidentinAmericanhistoryandunprecedentedlyservedfourterms.Allshouldbeattributedtohisfortitude.
"Theonlythingwefearisfearitself."Thisfamoussayingnowhasspreadallovertheworldandencouragedlotsofpeople.Rooseveltfirstsaidit,andasagreatleader,hemadeallhispeoplebelieveit.Hepracticedwhathepreachedforhewassurelyacourageouspersonchallengingthetradition.HeformulatednewpoliciestohelphisnationoutoftheDepression.HedeclaredwaragainstFasciststhoughmostoftheCongressmenopposedhimatthattime.Allprovedthathewasrightforhiscouragewasnotrashbutbasedoncarefulthinking."Aleaderisonewhodarestodream,andthen,darestoachieve."
Hewasgreat,butnotgreatinappearance.Helookedlikeakindgrandpaatthefirstsight.Heinitiatedthefiresidechattoexpresshisideasandexplainhispoliciesinarelaxedatmosphereonradio.Healwayssmiledsincerelywhenspeakingandlistening.Thesedidn'tlowerhisprestigebutmadehimamiableandwelcome.
Heissurelynotaperfectmannoonecanbeperfect.Everyagehasitsherointheforefront,justlikeFranklinRooseveltamanIadmire.