Abraham Lincoln wrote the following letter to the Headmaster of the school in which his son was to attend. It contains good advice, which is stll relevant and reminded me very much of Srila Prabhupad.As Devotees (teachers by example) we can gain tremendously by taking Abe's advice to heart. Being a teacher is a great responsibility and should always be taken very seriously.
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Dear Teacher,
“My son starts school today. It is all going to be strange and new to him for a while and I wish you would treat him gently. It is an adventure that might take him across continents. All adventures that probably include wars, tragedy and sorrow. To live this life will require faith, love and courage.
So dear Teacher, will you please take him by his hand and teach him things he will have to know, teaching him - but gently, if you can. Teach him that for every enemy, there is a friend. He will have to know that all men are not just, that all men are not true. But teach him also that for every scoundrel there is a hero, that for every crooked politician, there is a dedicated leader.
Teach him if you can that 10 cents earned is of far more value than a dollar found. In school teacher, teach him it is far more honorable to fail than to cheat. Teach him to learn how to gracefully lose, and enjoy winning when he does win. Teach him to be gentle with people, tough with tough people. Steer him away from envy if you can and teach him the secret of quiet laughter. Teach him if you can - how to laugh when he is sad, teach him there is no shame in tears. Teach him there can be glory in failure and despair in success. Teach him to scoff at cynics and to be beware of too much praise.
Teach him if you can the wonders of books, but also give time to ponder the extreme mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun and flowers on a green hillside. Teach him to have faith in his own ideas, even if every one tells him he is wrong. Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone else is getting on the bandwagon. Teach him to close his ears to a howling mob.. and stand and fight if he thinks he is right.
Teach him to listen to every one, but teach him also to filter all that he hears on a screen of truth and take only the good that comes through. Teach him to sell his brawn and brains to the highest bidder but never to put a price tag on his heart and soul. Treat him gently, but do not cuddle him, because only the test of fire makes fine steel. Let him have the courage to be impatient, let him have the patience to be brave. Teach him to have sublime faith in himself, because then he will always have sublime faith in mankind, and in God. This is the order, teacher but see what best you can do. He is such a nice little boy and he is my son.
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Note: It has been brought to our attention that this letter may have not been composed by Abe Lincoln.
Our intention for posting this letter was based on the substance of the letter and not necessarily the author's famous standing in American history. Whom ever is the actual author, he or she, has written such a nice letter that we will surely benefit by reading it.
