Abe Lincoln: Not just an icon

“We cannot escape history. We… will be remembered in spite of ourselves. No personal significance, or insignificance, can spare one or another of us. The fiery trial through which we pass, will light us down, in honor or dishonor, to the latest generation.”
-Abraham Lincoln
From his annual message to Congress,
December 1, 1862

This quote is from the greatest man this country has ever seen. Sojourner Truth says of him (located in the FASCINATING book “Lincoln, As I Knew Him”), “I am proud to say, that I never was treated by any one with more kindness and cordiality that was shown me by the great and good man, Abraham Lincoln, by the grace of God President of the United States for four years more. He took my little book, and with the same hand that signed the death warrant of slavery, he wrote as follows: For Aunty Sojourner Truth Oct.29. 1864. A Lincoln.”
Aunty Sojourner also told him earlier that when he took his seat she feared he’d be torn to pieces and likened him to Daniel thrown into the lion’s den.
I think he was and before he was shot, he paid the price everyday. He was torn and tired and still steadfast in his wisdom & kindness while grieving the loss of two sons and a, let’s face it, a crazy very bi-polar wife.
When I was a little kid any picture of him terrified me. Little did I know as an adult I would make him one of my main heroes and have pictures of his care worn face every where. Yeah. I love that dead guy and think about him often. Is it weird that I do actually mourn him? If that is wrong in whatever way- I don’t wanna be right!
I wish I could share that whole book (“Lincoln As I Knew Him”) with you but here, I can only give you example of the literary glimpse of the real man- not the icon. Through friends and family they talk about him and his greatness and yes, his flaws- which I love.
Foreign leaders were always shocked at his bony appearance and commented on his strangely penetrating eyes- which I know is what terrified me from his photos- as they seemed to reach me from beyond the grave and do that thing to my stomach you feel when peering down a hug steep staircase. He was a great fan of Shakespeare (a man after my own heart). And often read aloud excerpts. Macbeth was his favorite. In one instance he recited from memory one that struck him significantly- “Duncan in his grave; After life’s fitful fever, he sleeps well. Treason has done his worst; nor steel , nor poison, malice domestic, foreign levy, nothing can touch him farther.” Those present recollected he said the “Treason has done his worst” more slowly and twice. As if he felt a foreboding of the future? As he had a dream of seeing himself dead the week of his assassination, I think that’s a given. He was also our most psychic president and visits those who resonate with him to this day. Okay, now I know you think I’m crazy. I don’t care- on with my man-crush article. Some people / scholars- tell that he was a depressive. I disagree. You can’t run a country tearing itself apart and imploding while depressed. I merely think my kindred spirit was merely grandly passionate about things. He adored animals and his children meant the world to him. The more one loves, the greater their pain. I swear by that and that is the reason I understand this man that lived over two hundred years ago. I feel like he was the grandfather I don’t remember. The big brother I never had. I love him for spanning the centuries to touch me so….
He just fascinates me- and I learned not too long ago Spielberg is making a film due out in ’09!! I still can’t believe that is happening. I won’t believe it till I’m sitting my nervous shaking butt in the theatre on that date. My hero is making a film about my hero!! Well, that’s just nuts. It’s a perfect storm of my interests, and loves and admiration all in a couple hours moving picture.
This last month I saw that Barack is carrying around a book about him and modeling his choices for his cabinet to reflect the way Abe did it. That warmed my heart. I didn’t vote for Obama, as I’m an independent and out of purpose for my displeasure of the two party system (I think it’s actually one party making everything all the more difficult for this country to move forward) I went for neither- not saying who as that’s as unimportant as much as the independent candidates themselves. Think about it- a black man from Lincoln country- who would have been a slave in Abe’s time- now holds the office of the great emancipator himself. Oh, what is Aunty Sojourner saying now? She and Abe had a gala ol’ time over on the other side the night of the election. Them and Oprah.
I was watching the John Adams miniseries that was originally on HBO- on DVD a couple months ago (I highly suggest it- I learned more about our American history through this film that I did in High School)- and there is this scene on the last part- where he and his wife, Abigail (brilliantly played by Laura Linney) peruse the white house under dusty construction. They were depressed at their surroundings. Abigail muttering sadly under her handkerchief shielding herself from all the dust and chalk, “imagine, the home of the leader of our country built by the colords” – while the slaves were ongoing- working tirelessly and I do say in a very devoting manner. Right on the weekend of the election that one ongoing scene watching them work around these leaders who were getting in their way, literally gave me chills. Now one of them / their descendents is the leader. In the end they were building this big house for one of their own, and Abraham was the one to let this happen or ultimately cause this chain of events to set forth Sojourner’s dream, Frederick Douglass’s dream, Booker T. Washington’s dream, Martin Luther King’s dream, Rosa Park’s dream, now our current president’s reality. Let’s hope that’s not lost on him; thanks to the Great Emancipator with a most melancholy disposition.