My son starts school today. It is all going to be strange and new to him for a while and I wish you would treat him gently. It is an adventure that might take him across continents. All adventures that probably include wars, tragedy and sorrow. To live this life will require faith, love and courage.
So dear Teacher, will you please take him by his hand and teach him things he will have to know, teaching him – but gently, if you can, Teach him that for every enemy, there is a friend. He will have to know that all men are not just, that all men are not true. But teach him also that for every scoundrel there is a hero, that for every crooked politician, there is a dedicated leader.
Teach him if you can that 10 cents earned is of far more value than a dollar found. In school, teacher, it is far more honorable to fail than to cheat. Teach him to learn how to gracefully lose, and enjoy winning when he does win.
Teach him to be gentle with people, tough with tough people. Steer him away from envy if you can and teach him the secret of quiet laughter. Teach him if you can – how to laugh when he is sad, teach him there is no shame in tears. Teach him there can be glory in failure and despair in success. Teach him to scoff at cynics.
Teach him if you can the wonders of books, but also give time to ponder the extreme mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun and flowers on a green hill. Teach him to have faith in his own ideas, even if every one tell him they are wrong.
Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone else is doing it. Teach him to listen to every one, but teach him also to filter all that he hears on a screen of truth and take only the good that comes through.
Teach him to sell his talents and brains to the highest bidder but never to put a price tag on his heart and soul. Let him have the courage to be impatient, let him have the patient to be brave. Teach him to have sublime faith in himself, because then he will always have sublime faith in mankind, in God.
This is the order, teacher but see what best you can do. He is such a nice little boy and he is my son.
-Abraham Lincoln
Dear Americans,
When I was 12 years old, we had a chapter in our English textbook - it was a small extract from what was written by a person called Abraham Lincoln. I didn't know who that was and frankly I didn't care. I was looking out the window, completely ignoring my teacher and dwelling in my own thoughts. Classes are boring for 12 year olds, we'd rather be out in the playground.
Our teacher began reading and my oh my did it grab my attention. The love of a father resonated throughout the entire read. Honestly, at that adolescent moment of my life, I told myself, "When I grow up, I want to be like him!".
I didn't know he was the American President but if I did I'd have wished I was an American. That is how much I respect leaders like Lincoln. He is a great role model, one which resonates leadership, perseverance and masculinity.
I'll be blunt, the current condition of America is disgusting. My father once told me to look up to American men that built America to what it is today as role models. As hardworking, patriotic, ideal men.
A few months back I asked my father what he thought about the current American election. The old man said, " America isn't what it used to be. " and left.
The truth of the matter is America has lost any sense of unity. Strong, sensible men no longer view it as a country worth fighting for. The only unity left in this country is between women and white knights.
The whole world is watching you America. The whole world is wondering whether American's would trust their lives with a Woman. When did your men become so pathetic that you want a woman to lead you?
If Hillary is elected, just pack up and leave, because it won't be America anymore - certainly not to the rest of the world at least.
ここには何もないようです