Yesterday, my family and I toured the Abraham Lincoln exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, and I was struck by this quote posted on the wall:
“During the drive he was so gay, that I said to him, laughingly, ‘Dear husband, you almost startled me by your great cheerfulness,’ he replied, ‘and well I may feel so, Mary, I consider this day, the war, has come to a close’—and then added ‘We must both, be more cheerful in the future—between the war and the loss of our darling Willie—we have both, been very miserable.’”—Mary Lincoln recounting the carriage ride they took the
afternoon before attending Ford’s Theatre on April 14th, 1865
I love the implied perspective of choosing to be happy, although I’m saddened by the thought of him expressing it so close to the end of his life. When I was searching for the exact quote, I also found this one from Lincoln expressing the same concept.
“Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.“- Abraham Lincoln
I thought both quotes were powerful reminders for all of us to GET HAPPY, before it’s too late.