While I was on the road back to Houston, I was saddened to hear of the death of Lady Bird Johnson. She was a great woman, extremely articulate, full of grace and class. Many people think of southerners as a bunch of redneck, Nascar loving, gay hating, Republicans. Lady Bird was the antitheses of that. She was the epitome of southern charm and gentleness.
Lady Bird was living history. She was married to the most powerful man in the world during one of our country's most tumultuous times. She stood by LBJ's side as he rose from Representative to Senate Majority Leader, to Vice President, and President. LBJ was said to have a firey temper, and didn't have much sense of self-control. Lady Bird kept him grounded and soothed his temper over those many years.
While in the White House, and for the rest of her life, Lady Bird worked tirelessly to preserve our country's natural beauty. She was an environmentalist before it was politically correct to be one. As a child, I remember riding with my family along highways lined with trash. People just threw their trash out of the car in those days. Lady Bird changed that. She also worked to limit billboards from marring the beauty along many of our highways.
On the trip back to Houston, I detoured off I-10, and took the back country US 290 through the Texas Hill Country she loved so much. Past Fredericksburg, Stonewall, Johnson City, and by the LBJ Ranch. I had been in a great mood, but was saddened as I drove through the area and thought of Lady Bird's passing.
She was a great lady. They don't make them like her anymore. The world is a poorer place without her.
0 comments:
Post a Comment