Four Meals and Seven Desserts Ago by Kallista

Four Meals and Seven Desserts Ago by Kallista - October 2017 Scholarship Essay

Four meals and seven desserts ago, I decided that if I could have dinner with one U.S. president, I would have dinner with Abraham Lincoln. From his inspiring and relevant quotes, to his unique life history, I’ve always enjoyed learning about our country’s tallest president.
As Abraham Lincoln once said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” In today’s politically inclined society, no other quote holds a truer meaning. With brother disputing brother, the house that is the United States of America seems to be, once again, separated by the rift of politics. Lincoln, understanding the power of this rift first hand, still offers words of wisdom. “Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can.” These words held true in 1861, and they still hold true today. With compromise, we Americans can rebuild the broken ties between us and construct a brighter future for all. After all as President Lincoln once said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
Lincoln not only advised his country, but he also offered advice to his fellow citizens. A famous advocator for positive thinking, Lincoln formerly stated, “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” With this quote, Lincoln has managed to inspire us Americans to look to the bright side by provoking our imaginations to see the miracle of the beautiful rose making its home in the thorn bush.
Mostly known for his inspirational speeches and quotes, Lincoln was also known for his sense of humor. During a famous debate with Stephen Douglas, Douglas called Lincoln “two-faced,” whereupon a good-natured Lincoln appealed to the audience and replied, “If I had another face, do you think I’d wear this one?”
Lincoln was not only known for his famous quotes, but he was also known for his captivating life stories. In one such story, Lincoln was to deliver a formal speech in front of a large and prestigious audience. Right before delivering the speech, however, Lincoln had acquired a new suit of tailored clothing that were unfortunately several inches too short. Unable to change his clothing, Lincoln arrived at the event in the poorly made suit, receiving laughter from the audience immediately upon his arrival. After delivering his speech, however, every person in the crowd was reported to be clapping and cheering excitedly for Lincoln.
Although Lincoln is best known for his presidential victory, he first experienced numerous losses. His first major loss occurred when he failed to be elected to the Illinois General Assembly in 1832. In subsequent years, he lost an election for the U.S. Congress, two elections for the U.S. Senate, and a campaign for the Republican party’s vice president candidate. All of these losses were outweighed however, in 1860, when Abraham Lincoln became President of the United States of America. What must have been a reflection upon his failures and victories in life, Lincoln eventually went on to say, “Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.”
Abraham Lincoln, known by a variety of nicknames, is still most likely best known by his nickname “Honest Abe.” Stories report that Lincoln was known as such due to his honorable intentions as the manager of his local country store. In one instance, while Lincoln was counting the store’s profits for the day, he realized that he had taken a few cents more from a customer than what was actually owed. Upon the realization, he immediately closed the store, and walked a long distance to the customer’s house to return the money. In another case, after Lincoln realized that he had packaged too little tea for a customer’s money, he weighed out what was due and personally delivered it to her, much to the surprise of the customer who had not realized that she was short in the amount of her purchase.
In conclusion, if I could have the pleasure of eating dinner with one U.S. president, I would have dinner with Abraham Lincoln, because of his good nature, his great qualities, and his interesting life stories and quotes. At the dinner he would tell me the fantastic stories of his life, and offer his opinion and advice on our country today. He would advise me on how to get involved in the governmental process, and if I asked for one piece of advice on life, I am certain he would reply with utmost integrity and dignity, “Whatever you are, be a good one.”