Week 46 Day 5
Stay Calm
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Matthew 10:37
Whom have I on earth below?
Thee, and only thee, I know:
Whom have I in heaven but thee?
Thou art all in all to me.
One of Abraham Lincoln’s unique characteristics was grace under pressure. He almost always stayed calm. He was able to collect his thoughts, even in times of great stress and as people confronted him. As the tempers of those around him flared, he refused to let his passions get the best of him. Once when anger turned into rage during a cabinet meeting, Lincoln stood calm and self-assured and said, “I appreciate your desire to keep down excitement; and I too promise to ‘keep cool’ under all circumstances.” Lincoln believed that passions ignited bad decisions. They clouded the thought process, caused people to say things they didn’t intend, and had the potential to break relationships. He resisted the urge to say a cross word, sometimes even dismissing himself from a meeting and writing his thoughts on paper. Promise to “keep cool,” and you’ll find that, like Lincoln, you’ll never have to regret saying a cross word.