Today marks 200 years since the birth of Abraham Lincoln.  Quite a milestone.  What a happy coincidence that this great American's long shadow casts itself on the American scene at this time!  Our country could do much worse than to always keep the memory of Lincoln in our minds.  Back in the mid 60's when I was in grade school, few characters loomed larger on the landscape of history than President Lincoln.  He was respected for his intellect, his determination, his compassion and his strength as an individual.  As a great leader he was second only to George Washington, but in a photo finish sort of way where number one wins be a hair.

In those days, both of these American icons had their own holidays and everyone knew that in February Lincoln's birthday was on the 12th and Washington's on the 22nd.  Accordingly it was in February when particular attention was given to remembering these two men and honoring their memory.  For better or worse, the same sort of attention and certainly reverence is not accorded these two any longer.  This may or may not be for the best.  I am in no position to judge.  In all likelihood it's just different and that ain't always bad. 

Perhaps I got more of a dose of Lincoln than most, I don't know for sure, because I grew up in Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois which were the three states Lincoln lived in as a boy and an adult.  Even so, it was always clear to me that while Lincoln was a towering figure on the American landscape he was still a man, very human, very much like anyone else and whose life was filled with errors and mistakes like anyone else, yet he was different or stood out in his ability and willingness to do the right thing.  That's what always impressed me as a boy and what still impresses me to this day.

There were a couple of stories (perhaps apocryphal I'm not sure) that always stuck with me.  One was about how one day when still a boy Lincoln ran into a group of other boys who were sadistically torturing a turtle. They had broken it's shell and were having a grand old time harming the defenseless creature.  According to the story, Lincoln broke up the gang, took the turtle home, bandaged it and nursed it back to good health.  Another was a story about how as, I think, a young man still in his teens, Lincoln got an opportunity to go down the mighty Mississippi all the way to New Orleans and then back up rive to his home.  On that journey, Lincoln's eyes were opened to the harshness of slavery i a way, apparently, that had not struck him in his earlier years.  These two stories made a huge impresion upon me. 

As a boy I also was very impressed with how close Lincoln was to his youngest son and how broken his heart was, and how deeply he suffered when the child died.  This information always underscored how really human Lincoln was.

One other thing about Abraham Lincoln that really always stood out to me was that while he was a very physically strong and able man he never used his strength to bully, badger or harass.  In fact, he used his strength and courage on behalf of others.  I cannot say that I know these things are true about the "real" Abraham Lincoln, but these are the things that always struck me as most important about him and they all speak to his character more than his particular accomplishments.  So, for me, it was his character that gave Lincoln the wisdom and the courage to save the nation and to liberate the slaves and to lead during such a terrible time and so on.  What makes Lincoln such an impressive historical figure for me was always that he was real, as human and frail as anyone else with faults and mistakes, etc... but that he made choices and used his time on earth in a way that deserves our respect, our admiration and yes, our veneration.

I'd be interested in knowing from others here, on this anniversary of Lincoln's birth, what comes to your mind when you think of our 16th President.