Undeniably, Abraham Lincoln was a fascinating and intriguing man; and arguably one of the best presidents the United States of America has ever known. And while I could expound on my opinion, many have done that before me and probably much more succinctly and accurately than I ever could. Today, I just want to celebrate this amazing man and all he did for America! Lincoln and I actually share the same birthday – February 12th. It may seem silly, but I have always felt a bit of a connection with him simply because of that. This shared birthday has garnered an enduring interest in the life of Abraham Lincoln. Perhaps it was also because he was often described as tall, awkward, and shy – something I could certainly relate to in my teen years. However, he also seemed to possess a great deal of self-awareness and worked on improving and honing the virtues and character qualities in himself that he felt were important, and that is something we should all strive to do.

When it comes to wisdom, this is one man who had a plethora of insight that astonishes and inspires me. He was the epitome of what it means to be an American. Hard work, determination, and the freedom to pursue his passions propelled him to success – a way of life that I grew up believing was the American Dream. Lincoln was a man who felt deeply, having his own share of heartaches as we all do, and yet rising above to do his best for the country he loved. He also had a sly wit that I find endearing. During a debate with Stephen Douglas, he was accused of being two-faced, to which Lincoln is said to have replied, “If I had another face, do you think I’d wear this one?” You have to love that kind of self-deprecating humor. There is no shortage of Lincoln quotes to uplift and energize me. Here are a few of my favorites:

“When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That’s my religion.”

“I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how a man could look up into the heavens and say there is no God.”

“To ease another’s heartache is to forget one’s own.”

“I do the very best I know how, the very best I can, and I mean to keep on doing so until the end.”

“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”

“Don’t interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties.”

“Life is hard but so very beautiful.”

I could go on but let me just say the world needs more people like Lincoln.

Back in 2011, my family and I made a trip to Washington DC. There are so many incredible things to see and do there, but without a doubt, my favorite memory of that trip was seeing the Lincoln Memorial in person. I literally had goosebumps as I approached the memorial that I had only seen in textbooks and on television up to that point.

Bucket list moment to the extreme!! And then to actually see the top hat that he was wearing when he was assassinated. It still brings tears to my eyes.

And because I am a bit of a nerd and love wax museums, I have to share this picture just because it makes me smile:

One last quote by Abraham Lincoln: “Whatever you are, be a good one.” Words to live by.