SENTINEL WATCH November 29, 2004 ISSUE

Standing tall with the President

By Margaret Rogers

Like most people I know, I was a little on edge during the months of intense campaigning before the recent United States presidential election. But last month, an unanticipated meeting with the President helped calm my thoughts.

My husband and I had decided to spend a couple of days in California's Sequoia National Park, home of the awesome giant sequoia trees. Early one Tuesday morning, we took a walk in Giant Forest, the largest grove in the park. As we meandered along reverently, almost alone in the forest, we suddenly came upon the President. Not anyone you've seen on the front page lately, but a towering tree with a sign in front that simply said, "The President." We sat down on a bench nearby that was designed for leaning back and looking up.