Celebrating Today as Washington’s Birthday

When I was in grade school I loved this big book in my grade school library about the White House. It was full of black and white photos and drawings illustrating the designing, building and rebuilding of America’s home. I wasn’t as interested in the men who occupied the building as I was in the men who built the building and worked to maintain it. I must have checked that book out of the school library a half dozen times.

When I was in sixth grade my parents gave me a present to go on a School sponsored trip to Washington DC over Christmas break. I had never been to DC, but was thrilled to be getting to go and see the building I had practically memorized. Sadly, President Truman died the day after Christmas and his funeral was held in DC right when my trip took place. So we did not get to visit the White House or many other official sites, as they closed for Truman’s service.

It was not until I was out of college and living in D.C. that I had a chance to visit the White House and by then I had long forgotten all the little facts I had memorized in that big book. Still I held the house in great reverence.

As the years went on I went back every so often. Carter got to go when she was in seventh grade on her school trip to DC. It did not matter who was living in the house, the house itself was a draw to me.

Sadly now, on this President’s day my feelings about the house have changed because I so dislike the current occupier. If I were invited to visit the White House today and were allowed to visit all the behind the scenes areas I would decline. I would not want my love of the house to be tarnished by visiting when 45 lived there. It may sound unpatriotic, but I wish that President’s day could be selective to only celebrate honest Presidents. So I am thinking of today as Washington’s birthday, the original President’s day.