Most certainly we have never had a president as wracked with depression as was Abraham Lincoln. From the death of his mother, to the death of his child, to the near death of his nation, he stumbled through life in a world of pain. As a young man the tall, gangling Lincoln had been quite an athlete. He was a lifelong horseman, and rode his horse ,Old Bob, through Washington, often unaccompanied, through out the War.
As miserable as most of his life had been, he was giddy with happiness from the date of Lee's surrender to his death. He discussed plans for future travel with his wife and looked forward to a quite retirement.
He assured his youngest son that life would be turning better soon. He promised to do one thing for the child as soon as he got back to Springfield that he knew would bring pure delight to the child.
"And I shall buy you a pony", he told the little boy.
A kid cannot ride out of gloom on an x-box. He cannot gallop into the sunshine on an iPod. He cannot trot through the woods on a cell phone.
But his life can find meaning in a saddle. More kids need to find that meaning.
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