Young Mr. Lincoln

We spent a lazy day at home today. I built a fire around noon, and we took care of some home-bound chores like paying the bills, grading papers, writing educational reports. At one point I turned on the television, and flipping through the channels I stopped on a PBS documentary about President Lincoln.

When I tuned in he was just leaving Springfield for Washington, and a voice actor read an excerpt of his farewell speech:

To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe everything. Here I have lived a quarter of a century, and have passed from a young to an old man. 

My first reaction was disdain for the vocal; it was too high pitched and twangy, no way Abraham Lincoln sounded like that! 

Then I considered his words. Old man? How old was he then, anyway? A little mental calculation made me catch my breath. Holy crap! 

Lincoln was the same age I am when he was elected.