“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.” – The Dalai Lama

From “Lincoln 365,” by Arnold Kunst

March 5

One day Lincoln was visiting the sick and wounded. He entered a tent in which lay Confederate wounded. A correspondent quoted him as saying they were 'enemies through uncontrollable circumstances.' After a silence, Confederates came forward and without words shook the hand of the President. Some were too sore and broken to walk or to sit up. The President went among these, took some by the hand, wished them good cheer, and said they should have the best of care. The correspondent wrote, 'Beholders wept at the interview. Most of the Confederates, even, were moved to tears.'

‘You can go forth to your bitterest enemy. Why? Because it is the right thing to do. It is mathematically correct.' 

- Jonathan Hanaghan

“A winner is a loser who learned from losing.” - Anonymous

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

3 March

The loser shames, forces, divides, curses, orders, reduces, insults, ridicules.

The winner empowers, augments, entices, enlivens, praises, thanks, enhances, serves.

“Sprinkle stardust wherever you go.” – Arnold Kunst

From “Lincoln 365,” by Arnold Kunst

March 4

'...I only wish to thank you for being so good - and to say how sorry we all are that you must have four years more of this terrible toil. But remember what a triumph it is for the right, what a blessing to the country - and then your rest shall be glorious when it does come! You can't tell anything about it in Washington where they make a noise on the slightest provocation. But if you had been in this little speck of a village this morning and heard the soft, sweet music of unseen bells rippling through the morning silence from every quarter of the far-off horizon, you would have better known what your name is in this nation. May God help you in the future as he has helped you in the past and a people's love and gratitude will be but a small portion of your exceeding great reward.'

- Mary Abigail Dodge, from her village of Hamilton, Massachusetts, written on the day of Lincoln's second inauguration, March 4, 1865.

‘When your work speaks for itself, don’t interrupt.’

- Anonymous

“If 50,000,000 say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing.” - Anatole France

From “The Human Condition: A User’s Manual” by Arnold Kunst
2 March
When you pander to your fears you commit a kind of blasphemy. Fear always comes hidden within a kind of riddle. We’re supposed to decode the riddle and then get on with doing our thing anyway. Unfortunately, that’s all on the far side of ‘pander to your fears.’

“If you’ve never been hated by your child you’ve never been a parent.” – Bette Davis

From “Lincoln 365,” by Arnold Kunst

March 2

Early in the war when a delegation of women visiting the White House asked Lincoln for a word of encouragement, he replied bluntly, ’I have no word of encouragement to give. Our people and our generals have not yet made up their minds that we are involved in an awful war. Our officers seem to think the war can be won by plans and strategy. That is not true. Only hard and tough fighting will win.’

‘The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism.’

- Anonymous

“Don't limit your challenges, challenge your limits.” - Anonymous

“Don't limit your challenges, challenge your limits.” - Anonymous

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

1 March

“Opportunity always lies buried in the midst of difficulty. Always.” – Arnold Kunst

“Stop letting fear condemn you to mediocrity.” – Steve Maraboli

From “Lincoln 365,” by Arnold Kunst

March 1

According to the Atlanta Intelligencer, Lincoln was 'the Baboon President,' 'a low-bred obscene clown.' The Boston Transcript was no better - Robert E. Lee had with his own hands flogged a slave girl and poured brine on her bleeding wounds. In short, each side played for hate.

'Be assured that if you knew all, you would pardon all.'

- Thomas á Kempis