Take a moment today for Gaylord Nelson

Fritz Albert photo

Gaylord Nelson once told me this was his favorite photo of himself, taken in 1995 by a longtime Madison friend and photographer, Fritz Albert. He didn't say why, but I suspect it was not just because he looked good, but because the setting said everything about who he was. It is worth more than 1,000 words. On this day that Wisconsin honors his memory, the photo is a reminder of his legacy.

The public is invited to participate in the memorial service at 12:15 p.m. today (Wednesday, July 13) in the Capitol rotunda, and join the family at a reception from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Monona Terrace.

If you can't do that, slow yourself down, just for a minute, and think about what one person can accomplish. Nelson was a small-town boy who truly changed the world, because he never doubted that he could.