LESSONS FROM ABRAHAM LINCONS LETTER


If you’ve ever come across the well thought out letter written by Abraham Lincoln to his son’s teacher, you’ll discover a wealth of information that makes for a distinctive personality. In between those phrases and clauses lie words of wisdom that helps every potential great leader to make meaning out of his/her existence. While I will show you the unedited content of the letter, you will find in parenthesis extra lines that seems to have been added to it based on my findings;

LETTER
My son starts school today. It is all going to be strange and new to him for a while and I wish you would treat him gently. It is an adventure that might take him across continents. All adventures that probably include wars, tragedy and sorrow. To live this life will require faith, love and courage.
So dear Teacher, will you please take him by his hand and teach him things he will have to know, teaching him – but gently, if you can, teach him that for every enemy, there is a friend. He will have to know that all men are not just, that all men are not true. But teach him also that for every scoundrel there is a hero, that for every crooked politician, there is a dedicated leader.
Teach him if you can that 10 cents earned is of far more value than a dollar found. In school, teacher, it is far more honourable to fail than to cheat. Teach him to learn how to gracefully lose, and enjoy winning when he does win.
Teach him to be gentle with people, tough with tough people. Steer him away from envy if you can and teach him the secret of quiet laughter. Teach him if you can – how to laugh when he is sad, teach him there is no shame in tears. Teach him there can be glory in failure and despair in success. Teach him to scoff at cynics.
Teach him if you can the wonders of books, but also give time to ponder the extreme mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun and flowers on a green hill. Teach him to have faith in his own ideas, even if everyone tell him they are wrong.
Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone else is doing it. Teach him to listen to everyone, but teach him also to filter all that he hears on a screen of truth and take only the good that comes through.
(Teach him to close his ears to a howling mob and to stand and fight
if he thinks he’s right. Treat him gently, but do not cuddle him, because only the test of fire makes fine steel.)

Teach him to sell his talents and brains to the highest bidder but never to put a price tag on his heart and soul. Let him have the courage to be impatient, let him have the patient to be brave. Teach him to have sublime faith in himself, because then he will always have sublime faith in mankind, in God.
This is the order, teacher but see what best you can do. He is such a nice little boy and he is my son.

Whatever lessons you happen to pick from this letter have the power to build you into a true leader and a phenomenal youth. Yes, while you may not have a teacher who will sit you down to teach you all these, all you need is a mind-set that accepts these lessons, and build your life on them. Let’s see some of the obvious lessons we can draw out from that letter that can make you MAD!

1)     The first paragraph reminds us that life is an adventure filled with mixed feelings. If further explains the acronym of life as Loving Irritating Fun-filled and Experience-loaded. He didn’t also fail to tell us that the best way to life this adventure is to have Faith, love and Courage to face its challenges.
2)      In the Second paragraph, he wants us to learn that the fact that there exist many vices and immoral activities in the society does not make it the right way of life. It explains the truth that, the fact that everyone around you is doing the wrong thing doesn’t make it right. Stick to the Right life.
3)      The third paragraph teaches that there is joy in hard work and that the fruit of hard work is more honourable even when it’s not favourable to you at that time.
4)      The fourth paragraph teaches the best way to relate with people and make a difference in their lives. It teaches the disposition of a unique youth to any situation he finds himself.
5)      The fifth paragraph teaches the power of reflecting on natures sophistication, drawing inspiration from creation and innovative thinking.
6)      The Sixth paragraph teaches the power of sticking to the truth and being on the right track irrespective of the multitude trooping into the jungle of despair.
7)      The Last paragraph teaches the need to be wise and exceptional, have value for human life, be courageous, embrace Patience, grow in bravery and the power of Faith in God and humanity.



Can you just imbibe these lessons into your life and see how powerful and transforming they really are in building you into a generational influence, an eminent paragon, and a distinctive history maker. In life, irrespective of the challenges you face, always remember that only the test of fire makes fine steel.

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