Farm House Front Porch

Source: Ray Shrewsberry/Pixabay

The first memory of Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, resonates with the qualities of his well-lived life, which recently ended after 100 years. In the early recollection, Carter (2001, pp. 28-29) recounted an event taking place in Plains, Georgia:

“Although I was born in Plains and actually lived next door to my future wife, Roselynn, when she was a baby, the first thing I remember clearly was when I was four years old, and my father took us to show us our new home on the farm. There were four of us, including my sister, Gloria, who was two years younger than I. The front door was locked when we got there, and Daddy realized that he had forgotten the key. He tried to raise one of the windows that opened onto the front porch, but a wooden bar on the inside let it come up only about six inches. So he slid me through the crack, and I came around to unlock the door from the inside. The approval of my father for my first useful act has always been one of my most vivid memories.”

The theme or central point of Jimmy’s first memory suggests a striving to be useful and receive recognition for his efforts (Clark, 2013). In this early recollection, Carter’s family members enjoy visiting their new home due to his successful maneuvers. Over his long and productive life, Jimmy’s sustained quest is to improve the lives of others through purposeful and recognizable actions.

With regard to personality dimensions, Jimmy’s first remembrance indicates a high degree of activity. From early childhood to well into his 90s, Carter was indefatigable in his pursuit of self-development and endeavors to advance conditions for others. His stamina and vitality is notable through his pursuits as a student, military officer, farmer, public servant, and humanitarian. Carter centered his life on his family and religious faith while pursuing such diverse activities as hunting, furniture-making, writing over 20 books, and constructing houses for Habitat for Humanity.

Relating to social interest, Jimmy had a kinship with other living beings and a sense of belonging in the human community. His desire to help others less fortunate than himself is evident as a young boy and through his later endeavors on the world stage. As President, Carter worked tirelessly on environmental protections, human rights, and peace accords. At the same time, he was accused of being self-righteous and maintaining an unwillingness to compromise on his principles and sweeping agenda.

With respect to optimism versus pessimism, Carter was optimistic when he was able to be involved in useful endeavors and experience movement toward goals. As in his early recollection, Jimmy relished being the center of attention and finding solutions to problems that assisted other people. In his 44 post-presidential years, his optimism is observable as he and his wife, Roselynn, took on global-level challenges of attempting to eradicate neglected tropical diseases, monitor free elections, and advance human rights. In 2002, Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his accomplishments in service to humanity.

Self-efficacy involves a capacity to surmount challenges and overcome difficulties in life. Carter confronted immediate hardships as President and in the decades after losing an election to a second presidential term. As President, Jimmy faced high unemployment, skyrocketing inflation, and a prolonged ordeal involving American hostages captured in the U. S. Embassy in Iran. He was unflagging in addressing the intractable events, but broader forces restricted his personal efforts to create change.

Relating to conscientiousness, Jimmy’s diligence, responsibility and reliability attracted notice over the course of his life. As a public servant, he was unwavering in his determination to work in a humble way for the common good. Carter, however, was criticized for getting bogged down in details and a reluctance to bend on political and social issues. A tendency toward a sense of order and specific details is notable in Jimmy’s first memory as he makes reference to his future wife, Roselynn, his sister, Gloria, and the size of the wooden bar in the window. Yet, in other instances, Carter’s doggedness and attention to detail facilitated positive outcomes, such as his skillful diplomacy in the Camp David talks that brought peace between Israel and Egypt in the Middle East.

From the perspective of perceptual modalities, Jimmy’s sense of touch is prominent in his early recollection and in his life. In the first memory, he climbs through the narrow window opening and scurries across the room to open the front door. His orientation to touch is observable in hunting, crafting furniture, and participating in political campaigns involving constant physical contact with people.

Another prominent modality in Carter’s early recollection and existence is his sense of place. The rural home in Plains, Georgia, is a beckoning location to him as a child and throughout his adult life. Fittingly, Plains is Jimmy’s final resting place beside his beloved Roselynn.

Jimmy Carter began life under humble conditions and rose to the highest level a citizen can—to the office of the President of the United States. While Jimmy was imperfect, he had a big heart and did his best to make a better world for others. What more can anyone ask of a life well-lived?