This past President’s Day Amy and I were fortunate enough to take a trip to our nation’s capital. Prior to this I had passed through Washington D.C. on a few occasions, but never actually stopped to smell the roses. Personally I find that when working for long periods of time, especially in isolation, the walls begin to close in and I need to get away for a bit. This is one such instance, I had not planned the timing, it just sort of happened that way. Have you ever taken a spontaneous road trip? If not, I highly recommend it – it’s a truly liberating experience. I find a spur of the moment road trip helps in a number of ways:

1. Change of scenery sparks new thoughts and ideas
2. New experiences broaden my horizons
3. Ability to meet new and interesting people
4. Recharges my batteries

Furthermore, these items really meld together to form an unique experience that may be conveyed in one’s work – for example this blog. This particular trip was both fun and enlightening in that we were able to visit the Capitol Visitor Center, Library of Congress, and a Masonic Lodge in D.C. called Potomac Lodge situated in historic Georgetown. For those of you who have never visited, or taken the time to stop in our nation’s capital I highly recommend it – there is so much to see and do that I am planning on making several more trips. I am going to step through each items and inform you of the various takeaways that I have found of great import.

Capitol Visitor Center
Otherwise referred to as the CVC (anyone who has ever worked for or has been contracted out from the government will appreciate the acronym) is truly amazing. This is situated completely underground beneath the Capitol Building and is basically a museum dedicated to the Capitol Building. If you have never been to, or even stood up close the Capitol Building, you are truly into an awe inspiring sight. It is much larger and magnificent in person and worthy of up-front viewing. There were many items here worth seeing, however one item that I was most interested in seeing was the George Washington Gavel. The George Washington Gavel was used by George Washington in laying the cornerstone of the Capitol Building as part of a Masonic cornerstone laying ceremony. A cornerstone laying ceremony is a Masonic tradition dating back to prior to the founding of our country reserved specially for prominent buildings and landmarks. Examples off the top of my head include both the White House and Capitol Buildings in DC, The State House in Boston, and the Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown on Cape Cod.

This building is really amazing. Everything to include the solid construction, high-end look and feel, and presentation of historical documents and other artifacts relevant to the Capitol Building and our nation as a whole. One of the coolest things is that the Capitol Visitor Center is connected to the Library Of Congress via a large tunnel which does not require you to exit one building to enter another – definitely check this out!

Library Of Congress
Being of the lifelong learning mindset this site was of particular interest to me. The displays at the Library of Congress are truly magnificent, especially the Reading Room and the Thomas Jefferson Library. The Thomas Jefferson Library is a true testament to an individual with an entrepreneurial spirit dedicated to lifelong learning and the pursuit of knowledge – really a truly magnificent site to behold. One aspect of the Library of Congress I found interesting was that above each window there is a saying which pertains to knowledge, one of which I had found particularly interesting and timely -

“The True University Of These Days Is A Collection Of Books”

You may recall in my article “A Different Way Of Thinking” I had discussed my present transition from that of a university student to that of more of an independent reader. Historically I had structured my learning in a true traditional classroom, or even online learning, however most recently I have become a voracious reader. I have always read quite a bit in the past, however now I do so more than ever and really find it more meaningful to take greater responsibility for my learning, this method also allows for me to change direction quickly if desired.

Needless to say, the statement in the Library Of Congress really resonated with me and I felt the need to pass it on. As with many other aspects of life, someone greater than myself had reached a conclusion prior to me and had even documented it, it had really just taken me a long time to find it. Although at this point I had already known this statement to be true, I believe in this instance it has served as a method of reinforcing that I am on the right path. Indeed – if those in charge of constructing the Library Of Congress thought enough to place this statement at the expense of the project and place it in a prominent location – I am definitely on the right path. It’s funny how timing works, when heading down an unfamiliar path nudges seem to occur from the unlikeliest of places, one just needs to be open to receive such guidance and suggestions.

I would ask that you consider this path as well. I am not suggesting that you throw away structured academic education as I believe that this does contain value which increases or decreases depending on your path and circumstance. However, I believe structured education is a starting point and not an end all. Think of it as training wheels. Upon completing a regular course of education, whether it is a full-fledged degree program or certification you are preparing yourself to learn and are really on training wheels. The next step is to take off the training wheels and ride on your own. There is no prescribed point in time either, it will just feel right – however hopefully my insight may fast-track you to a different, more optimal path depending on where you are in life.

So truly “The True University Of These Days Is A Collection Of Books”.

Potomac Lodge
One of the many benefits of being a Freemason is the ability to travel to different Lodges both nationally and internationally. Upon meeting other Masons, most of which I have never met prior to visiting a given Lodge in a new area, I have always found that I am greeted with open arms and amazing hospitality. In general it is like meeting old friends and becoming re-acquainted. After the fact I find that I have set the foundation for a future friendship that is mutually beneficial. My visit to Potomac Lodge in Georgetown was no exception.

Upon visiting the Lodge, the Master of the Lodge, Jeremy Barnes, rolled out the red carpet for both Amy and me. We were treated exceptionally well and had the opportunity to learn quite a bit about the history of the Lodge and Georgetown and DC in general. Some of the most interesting facts gathered from this visit are as follows:

1. Potomac is the the oldest Lodge in DC – the original charter dating back to 1789 is actually present within the Lodge
2. Possession of a sword once owned by Admiral George Dewey (the only “Admiral Of The Navy”) which is actually used as part of the Masonic ritual to this day in the Lodge
3. The border of the Lodge flooring made from marble retrieved from the Capitol Building
4. A bust of George Washington originating from the Capitol Building
5. Owner of the George Washington Gavel which is presently on loan to the Capitol Visitor Center

Jeremy Barnes and the other members of Potomac Lodge take great pride in the artifacts in their care and the combination of being in the presence of awe-inspiring historical items, the fellowship of the evening and having the opportunity to meet new people and experiences were really fun.

Tying It All Together
You may ask what my visit to the Capitol Visitor Center, Library Of Congress and Potomac Lodge have to do with entrepreneurship and personal development. The point I am trying to impress upon you is that the classroom and books are just a place to start. Real knowledge is really a convergence of knowledge gained in the classroom, book learning, experience, and above all having the ability to apply this knowledge by “tying it all together” in a meaningful way – which is the ultimate goal of this article. My hope is that others will see the value the multiple methods of learning and get out there and experience life and pass along attained knowledge to others thereby benefiting us all in the end.

The best part of all is that taking one opportunity often leads to others. For example, I had originally met Jeremy Barnes at Highland Lodge in Baltimore, Maryland during a visit which originated from meeting a member of that Lodge in a Linkedin group. After meeting Jeremy he had extended an invitation to visit his Lodge which was Potomac. After visiting that Lodge I learned of the impressive history and met some great individuals who had informed me of other landmarks and invitations. The main idea here is to take Freemasonry or your organization of choice and use the same approach. I liken it to following a trail of breadcrumbs, one opportunity begets another, and yet another, and so on it goes. Trust me it works. But like anything else, you get out of it what you put into it – this is true of everything, whether you talking about a company, your education, or relationships – what you focus on expands.

Another point worth further emphasis is that the preceding example is yet another instance of the power of social networking. Through social networking, in this instance Linkedin, I was able to create and cultivate relationships which would not have been otherwise possible. Again, if used correctly social networking tools are powerful and a method of greatly enriching your life in both a personal and professional sense. This is an example of real world social networking – this is Facebook for real life. This can happen in real life, and not just virtually on the Internet.

For those who may be interested, photos of our trip have been posted to the Cape Cod Branding Facebook Page. If you enjoy this blog, our work, or even the photos provided feel free to become a fan or even invite me and/or Amy as a friend. I have provided the links to each profile below:

• Cape Cod Branding Facebook Page

• John Sedivy Facebook Page

• Amy Stevens Adams Facebook Page

I am always interested in meeting new people and believe that a tremendous amount of mutual learning and growth occurs through our interaction with others. Perhaps if we are in town or you are visiting Cape Cod or Boston we may even be fortunate enough to cross paths – we look forward to it.

Acknowledgments
I would like to thank Worshipful Jeremy Barnes and the members of Potomac Lodge for the Lodge tour and taking the time to make us feel at home. Both Amy and I hope to cross paths with each of you in the near future. I would also like to thank James Canby Landerkin  and the other members of Highland Lodge who had provided a phenomenal experience during a visit to Baltimore this past November which led me to the material for this article.

Get out there and experience the true university!

-John R. Sedivy of Cape Cod Branding

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