Probably the greatest example of persistence is Abraham Lincoln. If you want to learn
    about somebody who didn’t quit, look no further.

    Born into poverty, Lincoln was faced with defeat throughout his life. He lost eight
    elections, twice failed in business and suffered a nervous breakdown.

    He could have quit many times - but he didn’t and because he didn’t quit, he became
    one of the greatest presidents in the history of our country.

    Lincoln was a champion and he never gave up. Here is a sketch of Lincoln’s road to
    the White House:

    1816 His family was forced out of their home. He had to work to support them.
    1818 His mother died.
    1831 Failed in business.
    1832 Ran for state legislature - lost.
    l832 Also lost his job - wanted to go to law school but couldn’t get in.
    1833 Borrowed some money from a friend to begin a business and by the end of the
    year he was 
    bankrupt. He spent the next 17 years of his life paying off this debt.
    1834 Ran for state legislature again - won.
    1835 Was engaged to be married, sweetheart died and his heart was broken.
    1836 Had a total nervous breakdown and was in bed for six months.
    1838 Sought to become speaker of the state legislature - defeated.
    1840 Sought to become elector - defeated.
    1843 Ran for Congress - lost.
    1846 Ran for Congress again - this time he won - went to Washington and did a good
    job.
    1848 Ran for re-election to Congress - lost.
    1849 Sought the job of land officer in his home state - rejected.
    1854 Ran for Senate of the United States - lost.
    1856 Sought the Vice-Presidential nomination at his party’s national convention - get
    less than 100 votes.
    1858 Ran for U.S. Senate again - again he lost.
    1860 Elected president of the United States.

    Two monks on a pilgrimage came to the ford of a river. There they saw a girl dressed
    in all her finery, obviously not knowing what to do since the river was high and she
    did not want to spoil her clothes. Without more ado, one of the monks took her on his
    back, carried her across and put her down on dry ground on the other side. 

    Then the monks continued on their way. But the other monk after an hour started
    complaining, "Surely it is not right to touch a woman; it is against the commandments
    to have close contact with women. How could you go against the rules for monks?" 

    The monk who had carried the girl walked along silently, but finally he remarked, "I
    set her down by the river an hour ago, why are you still carrying her?" 

    A woman was waiting at an airport one night, 
    With several long hours before her flight. 
    She hunted for a book in the airport shop, 
    Bought a bag of cookies and found a place to drop. 
    She was engrossed in her book, but happened to see, 
    That the man beside her, as bold as could be, 
    Grabbed a cookie or two from the bag between, 
    Which she tried to ignore, to avoid a scene. 
    She read, munched cookies, and watched the clock, 
    As the gutsy "cookie thief" diminished her stock. 
    She was getting more irritated as the minutes ticked by, 
    Thinking, "If I wasn't so nice, I'd blacken his eye!" 
    With each cookie she took, he took one too. 
    When only one was left, she wondered what he'd do. 
    With a smile on his face and a nervous laugh, 
    He took the last cookie and broke it in half. 
    He offered her half, as he ate the other. 
    She snatched it from him and thought, "Oh brother, 
    This guy has some nerve, and he's also rude, 
    Why, he didn't even show any gratitude!" 
    She had never known when she has been so galled, 
    And sighed with relief when her flight was called. 
    She gathered her belongings and headed for the gate, 
    Refusing to look back at the "thieving ingrate." 
    She boarded the plane and sank in her seat, 
    Then sought her book, which was almost complete. 
    As she reached in her baggage, she gasped with surprise: 
    There was her bag of cookies in front of her eyes! 
    "If mine are here," she moaned with despair, 
    "Then the others were his and he tried to share!" 
    Too late to apologize, she realized with grief, 
    That she was the rude one, the ingrate, the thief!