Abraham Lincoln

Can clinical depression actually be a catalyst for wisdom, creativity, and emotional depth? Many scholars who have studied Abraham Lincoln would say so. As Lincoln guided our nation through the horrors of the Civil War and the controversies of slavery, he fought his own inner emotions that many believe actually “fueled his greatness.”

The devastating tragedies in Lincoln’s early years affected him in major ways. He lost his mother, aunt, and uncle at the age of nine, and his sister died in childbirth when Lincoln was eighteen. As a young adult, he developed a close relationship with a woman named Anne Rutledge, who died of typhoid fever when she was only 22. Since Lincoln’s father was an uneducated laborer and Lincoln loved to learn and read, there was much tension between them. Lincoln’s father would be so upset that he often beat him for studying from books instead of doing his chores.

By Lincoln’s late twenties, these tragedies, coupled with a genetic predisposition to clinical depression resulted in a reputation for a somber disposition in the midst of his political ascent. Joshua Wolf Shenk has written a book called Lincoln’s Melancholy: How Depression Challenged a President and Fueled His Greatness. Shenk argues that it was Lincoln’s “sadder, but wiser” personality that made him one the outstanding presidents in American history. He reminds his readers that people who are depressed are often more realistic and more profound. As the President of the United States during the Civil War, it would have been disastrous if Lincoln failed to realize the magnitude of his actions. His pensive, contemplative approach was his key to success.  During his debates with Stephen Douglas in 1858, Douglas was an optimist who procrastinated making moral and practical choices about slavery. Lincoln addressed the issue with more clarity and conviction.

Throughout our lives, perhaps we may have moments of contemplative introspection. We might ask ourselves questions, as Abraham Lincoln did. When did I succeed? When did I fail? Why?  How can I resolve conflict and bring about peace? Like Abraham Lincoln, we can use our emotions and introspection to improve our lives and the lives of others.