July 23, 2025 - Good Morning! It’s Wednesday, July 23.
On this day in 1885, Ulysses S. Grant died. Like Dwight Eisenhower, he distinguished himself as a victorious wartime general, before serving two terms as President of the United States. After leaving the White House, Grant fell on hard times financially. He had hoped to become a rich man, but after putting his trust in a swindler, he ended up in bankruptcy. Two months later, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
During the last year of his life, Grant worked every day, seven days a week, writing his memoirs. Although he suffered incredible pain, he refused morphine, so that he could concentrate on his book, a book he hoped would provide financial security for his wife and children. He completed “The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant” on July 16. A week later, the old general and revered ex-president was dead.
Grant’s good friend, Mark Twain, published and promoted the book, and it became a best seller. It is widely considered to be one of the best presidential biographies in American history. And it made a half-million in royalties for Grant’s family. That’s over 12 million in today’s dollars. Grant gave everything, until his last breath, for his family. He left them a great gift.
What would you give to provide for your family, to protect and prepare them for the future? Anything, right? My daughter visited us last week with her two daughters. We were talking about family one afternoon and I asked what her hopes were for her girls, what they would be, what they would become. She gave a simple and profound answer. She hoped that they would grow up... to be kind.
Kindness. A great gift.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
