Grandpa Jalil Salman

“Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing”- Abraham Lincoln. To me this means that a person’s reputation can be altered depending on who it is observed by, but character is solid and irrefutable. Character is what makes a person who they are. Although this quote was said by Abraham Lincoln, I feel it was written about my grandfather. Both Abraham Lincoln and my grandpa had amazing character. These two men both held admirable qualities such as being a courageous leader, possessing extreme intelligence, and desiring to help others.

To begin, I noticed that Abraham Lincoln and my grandpa both were courageous leaders. To start off my grandpa is a courageous leader because he came over to the United States and left his whole family in Jordan to have a better life. He was searching for more opportunities for himself. He was not afraid to take risks. He made decisions for his entire family, and held himself responsible for his family’s well being. Similarity, Abraham Lincoln held one of the most difficult positions in leadership that was available: President of the United States. He is most commonly remembered for his stand on slavery. Although the North and South disagreed completely on the issue, he led the country to unity. Many people opposed his idea of freedom, but that didn’t stop him. He was ridiculed, hated, bombarded, and finally murdered for his stand on this issue. He led our nation to equality and freedom, something no one else of his time dared to do.

Next, both of these fantastic men possessed great intelligence. Abraham Lincoln fueled his love for learning by reading everything he could get his hands on. He was desperate to read. He would walk 4 miles just to read at the library. One time he walked 10 miles just to get a book from a friend. All of this reading contributed to his learning and knowledge of many topics. He had a broad span of knowledge in many different areas, and he used this when he became a successful lawyer. Later in life, he became an influential part of the U.S. government. He wrote the Gettysburg Address, which is still honored and read today. Also, he wrote one of our nation’s most significant documents, the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed the slaves. Likewise, my grandpa was also very smart and to loved to read! He ran a successful grocery store business here in the United States. He didn’t have anyone to teach him how to run the business, or how to make the business successful. He learned how to make something out of nothing. My grandpa was wise with both his spending and saving. Over time, he developed awesome strategies for both his business and family. Neither of these men were born brilliant. They worked hard to learn everything they could. Knowledge was something that these men strived for and both became intelligent people as a result.

Lastly, Abraham Lincoln and my grandpa both had a passion for helping people. To start off, Lincoln wanted to free the slaves from slavery. He never gave up and that’s what set them free. Lincoln always defended the innocent and demanded justice from the guilty. He stood up for things he believed to be unfair. With my grandpa, he always found a way to help people. Many times, he would go out of his way to help someone find a job or start-up a church. On some occasions, he would give a sum of money to help a person get started on a project or business. He wanted to see people succeed, and he tried to show his support by giving his time, effort, and money to others. As you can see, both men had a desire to do what they could to help others.

In conclusion, both Abraham Lincoln and my grandpa had great qualities that couldn’t be denied. They had respect for both others and themselves. Some of these qualities include being a courageous leader, having great intelligence, and helping others. A lot of people will always remember my grandpa and Lincoln for the way they touched so many lives and gave them hope for not only themselves but for their families too. To quote Lincoln, “And in the end it's not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years.” What this quote means to me is that you should accomplish what you can for others during your lifetime. You’ll be respected not for what you do for yourself, but what you do for others. This is what Abraham Lincoln and my grandpa will be known for.