Lady Bird Johnson Truly was a Lady

I've been around long enough to know that half of the things I thought were true when I was younger were not, and the other half were only partially true. One of the misconceptions that I had was regarding former first lady, Lady Bird Johnson. As a staunch Republican, it was difficult for me to comprehend that anything from a Democrat was even notable. That was mistake No. 1. I was a hardheaded, disciplined realist in my youth and the thought of making America beautiful seemed silly. Hadn't everyone seen the growth in the gross national product? Why, that was true beauty. Plants along the roadside? Such a waste of time and money. That was mistake No. 2. Being a women's libber, I couldn't see that Ladybird Johnson had a presence and felt that she was merely a shadow, a decoration for her husband. That was mistake No. 3.

I was writing an article today, about the restoration of natural prairie flowers and happened upon the website for the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. The center was initially part of an organization that was begun in 1982 to safeguard America's native plants. Lady Bird had a vision of American gardens and roadsides filled with great natural beauty. It reminded me of the awe and delight that I felt early that spring day when driving to one of my branches. Suddenly from barren land, were masses of beautiful pink of flowers speckling the roadside of the bypass that had become my home away from home. The drive that morning seemed a little easier after seeing the flowers that spring morning. This and many other projects came from the roadside beautification program, one that I believed was a waste of the taxpayer's money.