abraham lincoln

Inspire. February

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Abraham LIncoln as taken by photographer Matthew Brady in NYC, circa 1860. Public Domain. (c)2020

I share three quotations from President Abraham Lincoln on this, the day after his 211th birthday. The first is in his belief that people are inherently good; that if faced with a truth, they will acquit themselves honorably. I still think this is possible. The second is his reliance on faith, and that Right Matters. We may have heard that phrase recently. We are reminded to dare to do our duty, whether militarily, governmentally, or as a citizenry. The third has been referred to subtly in the last two weeks especially in reference to this current Presidency as the President is emboldened even more. If this isn’t wrong, what is? Retaliation against witnesses? Interference in criminal cases and the jury system? Profiteering from the job of president by him and his family. Bribery? Which is less wrong? Which will someone stand up and say, Enough. Here are Lincoln’s words:

  • I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts, and beer.
  • Lets have faith that right makes might; and in that faith let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it.
  • If slavery is not wrong, then nothing is wrong.

This is the most important election year of our lives. There is something that each of us can do in addition to voting in November. Find your something.

Obama Book Club – Doris Kearns Goodwin

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For most of the past Mondays, I’ve shared with you some of President Obama’s book recommendations as outlined and discussed in this Entertainment Weekly Article.

I’ve tried to share books that I am somewhat familiar with. I am currently listening to the audiobook of Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. I am slightly distracted by the voice of the narrator, Richard Thomas, known in my childhood as John-Boy on the the popular show from the 1970s, The Waltons. He is the perfect voice to read anything related to the Civil War or this, a biography of Abraham Lincoln and his Administration, his team of rivals.
I’ve been reading a lot of history and biographies lately. Part of that I believe is to show myself how far we’ve fallen but also to be reminded of how much potential we have as a country. We can come back from anything. After all, we came back from the Civil War.We came back from 9/11. We can come back from the Trump Administration.

President Trump could learn a lot from Lincoln and how he worked with his oppositional party. It’s the only way our country can flourish; by coming together for the betterment of all.

The idea of an Obama Book Club was mentioned with humor in an article I read, probably that one I’ve linked to above, and I thought it was a great idea to recommend books that President Obama reads and recommends.

In the following weeks, I will share other “book clubs”, beginning with Emma Watson in one week’s time.

I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing inside our former president’s mind, a man who reads for work, for context, and for pleasure, all good reasons to read and to emulate.