This is about 180 degrees away from what I was originally planning to do for President’s Day. I thought I’d feature an inspiring quote about leadership or courage or patriotism or some such. But for some reason I kept coming back to this quote by Abe Lincoln that doesn’t seem to fit any of my expected categories at all.
But we live in difficult times. Depression and anger are rampant. So I thought something clearly and strongly upbeat might be more appropriate. And maybe looking for good things does have something to do with leadership, courage and maybe even patriotism after all.
Transcript:
SCENE: A rose garden.
CAPTION: “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns…or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
–Abraham Lincoln
Adapted from a photo by Heidi Kaden
heidi-kaden-tHplJOPwsmI
CAPTION: “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns...or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
--Abraham Lincoln
Adapted from a photo by Heidi Kaden
heidi-kaden-tHplJOPwsmI
Thank you – I needed to read this today.
You’re very welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed it, Kari!
I saw the roses and thought of:
To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time by Robert Herrick.
The “Gather ye rosebuds while ye may” poem.
I was also reminded of a different quote:
“You can’t believe everything you read on the internet.” – Abraham Lincoln.Mar 2, 2020
Nice quotes, Dave–particularly the last one.
Alas—as you may know—I flubbed up on an important aspect of the quote. It turns out that—despite the internet site where I saw this quote—it almost certainly wasn’t said by Honest Abe.
(D*mn internet. And d*mn my sloppy research.)
There doesn’t seem to be any clear consensus on who first said it–or even who first said something close to it. Some sources mention Alphonse Karr as the possible source:
https://checkyourfact.com/2019/08/28/fact-check-abraham-lincoln-rose-bushes-thorn-quote-saying/
Some mention Henry David Thoreau—and others!
https://quotepark.com/quotes/1774625-henry-david-thoreau-truths-and-roses-have-thorns-about-them/
I wish I’d known that sooner. I’ll be more careful in the future. Still, whomever said it first, I think it’s a dandy quote!