“Pooh noticed that even though he had a very small heart, it could hold a rather large amount of gratitude.” – A. A. Milne

From “The Human Condition: A User’s Manual,” by Arnold Kunst

25 May

Memorial Day: Lincoln and the Troops, First Installment

The Civil War broke out a few weeks after Lincoln’s inauguration in 1861. To fight that war required volunteers who were prepared to interrupt their lives in a most profound way. That degree of commitment called forth gratitude from the Commander-in-Chief, but unlike other Presidents thanking troops for going into harm’s way [“the enemy is disorganized and has land we want;” “we need to get our oil from under their ground” – the usual tawdry motives] Lincoln’s gratitude was real. That’s why, in that first year of the war when volunteer regiments arrived in Washington, D.C. in ever-increasing numbers, the President made it his business to thank each one personally.

Stay tuned: second installment tomorrow.