Thomas Jefferson Was A Renaissance Guy
In addition to serving two terms as President of the United States from 1801 to 1809, Thomas Jefferson was a man of many faces. Did you know that he was an archaeologist as well as an architect? Known as being a fun, humorous and endlessly curious man, Jefferson accomplished much in his lifetime. From the many biographies written about him, he is listed as being one of the most interesting men in American History.
I was taken by the number of similarities that I share with Thomas. Take for example – he was a wine aficionado. His enthusiasm and love for French wines was legendary. Those who know me understand that IF I am going to consume wine it better be French.
Another thing Jefferson and I have in common is he was obsessed with books. His personal collection was said to have held over 6,500 volumes. So vast was that collection that he donated most to the Library of Congress after the library was invaded by the British in 1814.
And, Thomas was a ‘foodie’ – yes a foodie, just like me. He served a term as a foreign service officer to France. While living in France during his term as US Minister, he cultivated his very discerning palate by studying French cuisine. Like a true Francophile, he brought many French recipes back to the States when he returned.
I loved finding out that Jefferson, our founding father and writer of the Declaration of Independence, was also a devout believer that a person’s religion was between them and their God. This stand led him to be known as having an ‘Enlightenment-Era sense of reason’. He is credited with the ideal that there should be separation between Church and State.
All in all, old TJ was pretty groovy guy and one I think I would have been attracted to had I lived back then. I loved that he had a great sense of humor, stood firm in his beliefs and tried to better humanity by his actions and writing. I relate and love that he adored all things French. In fact, had I lived back then I would have whole-heartedly enjoyed sharing a glass of Sancerre with this interesting fellow. I am sure we would have had a lot to talk about!
