WOULD THEODORE ROOSEVELT HAVE BLOGGED

One of my all-time favorite books is "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt," by Edmund Morris. The biography chronicles the pre-presidency years of my favorite president, and is as rich and saucy as its subject.

I remember thinking as I was reading it for the first time four years ago how remarkably detailed of an account it was. I was impressed not by Morris' careful scholarship but by Roosevelt's prodigious documentation. Whether it was letters to colleagues or books he wrote himself, Roosevelt produced a vast amount of writings. For the intellectual challenge, he often read up on subjects of interest, like insects or naval history, and then wrote about them, not just musings but authoratitive treatises. And he wrote early and often, to relatives, friends, and professional colleagues, allowing us a window into his values, ambitions, and convictions.

I wonder if TR lived today, whether he would have kept a blog. I'm sure he would have. Today, I encouraged a good friend of mine who is joining an innovative Christian missions movement in South Asia to continue to write about his journeys and ideas. For unfortunately, it is the road more traveled that is replete with tome after tome; the interesting stuff all too often goes unchronicled. And future generations miss out on the awesome lessons and minor miracles. I'm sure glad TR "blogged" a lot, and I aspire to be the kind of person and to write the kinds of things such that people are reading my stuff a hundred years after I've written it.