Thought for the Day No.24

STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND HOW HE CONQUERED ADVERSITY

Despite business failure, great personal loss, rejection, political defeat, tremendous emotional stress, family crises, severe financial difficulties, Abraham Lincoln ascended to the highest office in the country - President of the United States of America.

From log cabin to White House, from poverty to the Presidency, Lincoln faced many obstacles, political and private, but overcame them by faith and determination never to give up.
Lincoln has long been remembered for his endurance in the face of adversity.

Consider the following personal and political challenges he confronted:
# ran for the legislature in Illinois and was defeated
# entered business with a partner, when it failed, he was left with debts that he spent the next
17 years paying off
# fell in love with a young lady, was engaged to her, then she died
# proposed marriage to another young lady and was turned down
# ran for Congress and was defeated
# attempted to get an appointment to the US Land Office and failed
# became a candidate for the US Senate and was defeated
# became a candidate for the vice-presidency and was defeated
# suffered the loss of two young sons - Eddie,3, and Willie,12 - their deaths caused severe
emotional devastation upon the Lincoln family, a loss from which Mrs Lincoln was believed
never to have recovered
# throughout his life was employed in many jobs as.....
railsplitter,
boatman,
manual laborer,
store clerk,
soldier,
store owner,
election clerk,
postmaster,
surveyor,
state legislator,
lawyer,
Congressman, and finally as the President of the United States

Sometimes when things are not going so smoothly, burdened with the troubles of the day, I reflect on what Lincoln has gone through to remind myself that actually compared to him - I am Lucky - and picked myself up again to reach out for my ultimate goal - with renewed hope and resolution - echoing the words of Obama's election slogan, "Yes, We can"