William Williams

On November 19, 1863—exactly 150 years ago to this day—U.S. President Abraham Lincoln gave his historic “Gettysburg Address,” known for its famous lines: “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” Despite his lofty words, Lincoln understood that this proposition—like the nation as a whole—was being tested. What about today?

I would be surprised to meet someone who has not felt depressed or unhappy at some point in his or her life. How about you? Some fall prey to depression and discouragement worse than others, true enough, and if we went through our lives never expecting to have problems, we would certainly be disappointed. But does knowing this really help? Why is it that the proverbial “Could be worse!” more often feels like salt on an open wound?

Alfred Lord Tennyson, one of the greatest poets in English history, wrote: “If I had a flower for every time I thought of you, I could walk in my garden forever.” These sweet terms of endearment sadly do not reflect mankind’s universal experience. The history of mankind’s attempts to find “true love” seems instead to offer very little that stands the test of time.