Inspiration Monday from Abraham Lincoln

My husband is a big fan of Abraham Lincoln. He can still recite the Gettysburg Address from memory, which I find amazing.

My husband has this cute little book, about 2 inches by 3 inches with a few selections of Abraham Lincoln’s writings. I found four year old with this in her possession and thought it would be a good idea to rescue it. Of course I needed to look through it, and found this letter. I hope you are as inspired by this as I was when I read it.

Springfield, Ills.,
July 22, 1860

My dear George,

I have scarcely felt greater pain in my life than on learning yesterday from Bob’s letter, that you had failed to enter Harvard University. And yet there is very little in it, if you will allow no feeling of discouragement to seize, and prey upon you. It is a certain truth, that you can enter, and graduate in Harvard University; and having made the attempt, you must succeed in it. ‘Must’ is the word.

I know not how to aid you, save in the assurance of one of mature age, and much severe experience, that you can not fail, if you resolutely determine, that you will not….

…Again I say let no feeling of discouragement prey upon you, and in the end you are sure to succeed.

With more than a common interest I subscribe myself
Very truly your friend,
A. Lincoln

Read the entire letter here.