“The man in the area… the one whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood…”
He gave this speech after he left office
A few years later, he attempted another shot at the White House, losing badly, almost assassinated
Almost died in the Amazon, killed thousands of animals
And on the brink of 60, begged to be enlisted into war
This isn’t minimizing the greatest of TR, but to show that he was driven by compulsion.
A work and activity addiction that didn’t have an end.
Seeking out action as a distraction, choosing to be at war when maybe, just maybe, peace is the more fitting choice.
The man in the area is admirable – and that arena could be anything, a politician, the businessman, the dishwasher, and all the other occupations.
BUT only if we’re in the arena for the right reasons.
Joe DiAndrea 