The Healing Journey

February 12, 2025

“In this sad world of ours, sorrow comes to all…it comes with bitterest agony.”
— Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln, who is often considered America’s greatest president, understood grief and personal loss. He was born in a log cabin in Kentucky on February 12, 1809, and knew poverty. He was raised on the frontier and was self-educated. He became a lawyer, a state legislator and U.S. representative from Illinois and was elected our country’s 16th president, serving from 1861 until he was assassinated in 1865. He was the President of the United States during the American Civil War. Among his greatest accomplishments were defending the Union and abolishing slavery. As our nation’s leader, he understood loss, just as he did in his personal life.

The following is excerpted from “Our Presidents: 25 of Them Shared Our Pain” by an unknown author:

“Our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd had four sons, but only one survived to manhood. Edward died at age 3. A year later William Wallace was born. At age 11, he died. President Lincoln saw his son’s death as punishment for the turmoil of the country and the Civil War that was raging. His wife was distraught and never again entered the rooms in the White House where William died and was waked. After his death, she wrote a friend, ‘Our home is very beautiful, the grounds around us are enchanting, the world still smiles, yet the charm is dispelled — everything appears a mockery, the idolized one is not with us, he has fulfilled his mission and we are left desolate. When I allow myself to realize that he has passed away, my question to myself is how can life be endured?’

“President Lincoln wrote, ‘In this sad world of ours, sorrow comes to all…it comes with bitterest agony. Perfect relief is not possible except with time. You cannot realize that you will ever feel better…and yet this 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 experienced enough to know what I say.’ As we know, Mary Lincoln also endured the assassination of her husband and 6 years later the death of their youngest son, Thomas, as a teen.”
©Joseph Pisani

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