Why do we celebrate President’s Day?
George Washington’s Birthday was first celebrated as a holiday in the District of Columbia in 1880. It was made a federal holiday in 1885. The holiday was originally held on the anniversary of George Washington’s birth on February 22, 1732. In 1971, this holiday was moved to the third Monday in February and shifted from recognizing only George Washington’s birthday to include that of Abraham Lincoln’s, who was born on February 12, 1809. Over time, however, across most of the US, the holiday has become a day to honor all presidents, past and present.
What about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln made them stand out among all the great men in our country’s history? The answer is loaded with opinion. But what we know from history books is that both were men of high integrity. These men were not perfect, but both cared undoubtedly about people. George Washington was known for being a genius in leadership. He built relationships with the men under his authority and they followed a leader who treated them with respect, regardless of rank. Abraham Lincoln is remembered as Honest Abe. Honesty is a valuable attribute that is many times misplaced in our world today. Abraham Lincoln led our nation with a heart rooted in truth.
What does their legacy mean for us this Presidents Day in 2019?
Specification Rubber Products encourages you, not to only look at our nation’s past and current leaders, but at yourself. Our leadership wants to lead in a way that is honorable. When we exemplify strong leadership through the same attributes of Washington and Lincoln, it changes the atmosphere and the quality of our work in our company as a whole. And like we’ve said before, it starts at home. Lead your family well. When you do this, you are raising up other strong leaders who will follow in your footsteps. Be what you want our country’s leaders to be. Teach others how to lead, no matter their profession or position. If even a few begin to do this, it has the potential to spread. And definitely lead well at work. It doesn’t matter if you are the lowest on the totem pole; the best leaders are born in servanthood.
Both well-remembered presidents treated others whom they encountered with honesty, humility, courage, justice, and grace. Washington and Lincoln knew how to serve and thus knew how to lead.
Be inspired to further develop the character qualities emphasized at the Abraham Lincoln Center for Character Development:
Honesty – striving for dealing with individuals and situations fairly and with truth
Empathy – showing concern and attempting to understand the feelings of others
Humility – working for the betterment of others, and in the interest of others over self
Perseverance – showing hope and determination in the face of defeats and loss
Courage – bravely standing for what is right in the face of opposition and personal fears
Intellect – continually learning all one can about the world around us
Vision – being governed by a firm set of principles & attainable ideas about the future
Responsibility – willingness to work hard and to do one’s duty as a citizen
Leadership – showing an ability to lead others in service and with justice & fairness
Happy Presidents Day from Specification Rubber Products.
