Stargazing Guy

– Theodore Roosevelt (27 October 1858 – 6 January 1919)

Theodore Roosevelt Jr, often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26th president of the United States from 1901 to 1909. He previously served as the 25th vice president under President William McKinley from March to September 1901 and as the 33rd governor of New York from 1899 to 1900. Assuming the presidency after McKinley’s assassination, Roosevelt emerged as a leader of the Republican Party and became a driving force for anti-trust and Progressive policies.

There are several versions of this quote in circulation, mainly because Roosevelt used ‘stars’ and ‘feet’ in various speeches throughout his career and quoted, misquoted and used by many others.

In 1906 Roosevelt addressed the young women of the National Cathedral School of Washington, D.C., and he used a concise version of the saying:
“Live up to a high ideal. Have ideals that you can reach. Keep your eyes on the stars, but your feet on the ground. Never fall short of what you actually can do.”

Casey Kasem, a well-known US television and radio personality in the recording industry, closed each show’s remarks by saying, “Keep your feet on the ground, and keep reaching for the stars.”

I assume, Roosevelt uses the stars as a motivator to encourage people to strive for a better future, to lift their spirits, to be inspired, to aim high, and to, literally, reach for the stars.

PS: I love coffee. BuyMeACoffee, leave a message with a date and time and we can share it, remotely, at the same time, and think about the Cosmos.

In the meantime, take care of yourself and if you can, someone else, too, because as Adam Smith said, “we naturally desire not only to be loved but to be lovely”.

Credit for opening image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:President_Roosevelt_-_Pach_Bros.jpg