Thomas Jefferson was born on this day, April 13th, in 1743, in Shadwell, VA.  He died on Independence Day, July 4, 1826, the same day as John Adams. The two men, at times fellow Patriots, bitter enemies and respectful friends, were the last surviving “founding fathers” who stood up to the British crown and established the United States of America.

A few Thomas Jefferson quotes which I recommend to you, beginning with the famous phrase he penned in the Declaration of Independence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned.

Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits.

But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine.

I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.

Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very far.

Enjoy more Thomas Jefferson quotes at BrainyQuote.com.

May we all heed Thomas Jefferson’s advice and walk very far, dreaming of the future, basking in the warm sunshine of freedom to which he dedicated his life!