Bummer spent his day reading the various Civil War postings and lingered on Lincoln’s melancholy, that was a constant reminder of the carnage and death of the nation’s conflict. In my day we might have called the President a manic-depressive or in current parlance bi-polar. Who cares! The oppressive consequences and Presidential responsibilities had to be overwhelming.
One of the posts was by Eric Wittenberg in which he spoke of the recent death of his father. A poignant tale by an only son that spoke measures of the relationship that these two shared and the obvious loss.
Bummer’s melancholy was kindled and reminisces of his own father’s lingering infirmities and ultimate death came flooding back. The tales of Southern Missouri and Tennessee, the family lore passed down regarding Bushwhackers and Jayhawkers, Union and Confederate and always hope and faith, based on family unity. Bummer can’t remember his father ever complaining, he was always grateful and suited up and showed up no matter what hand he was dealt. My best friend.
Bummer
Lincoln had an innate wisdom in sharing his experiences of grief and empathy;
“In this sad world of ours, sorrow comes to all; and, to the young, it comes with bitterest agony, because it takes them unawares. The older have learned to ever expect it. I am anxious to afford some alleviation of your present distress. Perfect relief is not possible, except with time. You can not now realize that you will ever feel better. Is not this so? And yet it is a mistake. You are sure to be happy again. To know this, which is certainly true, will make you some less miserable now. I have had experience enough to know what I say; and you need only to believe it, to feel better at once.”
Abraham Lincoln
