Lately there’s been talk about certain presidential candidates and their lack of First Ladies (aka wives).
I find this both amusing and sad.
It’s amusing because this lack of a wife has no relevance to the qualifications for performing effectively as the Leader of the Free World.
It’s sad because of the narrow mindset that expects the President’s wife to act as an unpaid hostess and that embraces only one traditional way of operation. Oh, how 19th century!
Actually, this absence of a presidential wife is not a new issue. James Buchannan, a bachelor, served as 15th president from 1857 to 1861. He asked his niece, Harriet Lane, to serve as his hostess. The newspapers could not refer to her as the President’s wife, of course. So Mrs. Lane was titled the “First Lady”. The media has maintained this term up to the present day.
Harriet Lane was a successful hostess for the many presidential functions. The Presidency was not adversely impacted by the lack of a wife. The White House is still standing.
But the title of First Lady was not Harriet Lane’s most important legacy.
Harriet’s two young sons died of complications from rheumatic fever. In order to help other children, she endowed a home for invalid children at the John Hopkins Hospital. This home became the first pediatric hospital in the United States. Today the Harriet Lane Clinic treats 8500 children each year.
So what I have learned from the story of Harriet Lane is:
- It’s important to understand how traditions originate in order to better determine their relevance.
- It’s important to understand that traditions can change and that’s ok.
- It’s important to understand that Harriet Lane had a choice. Of course, she grieved the loss of her children for the remainder of her life. But she chose to take action to help generations of children receive specialized medical care and live to adulthood.
- Each one of us will leave a legacy. Our legacy may not be as dramatic as that of Harriet Lane. But our actions (or lack of action) will impact others.
What actions will you choose to take? What will be your legacy?
