Friends, countrymen, lend me your ears. You know me as Honest Abe, the Rail Splitter President, the man who freed the slaves. Yet, the life that led me to this stage is a tapestry of toil, ambition, and unwavering conviction. It's a story woven through hardship and sorrow, but also brightened by the enduring flame of hope.
My beginnings were humble, born into poverty in a log cabin in Kentucky. My father, Thomas, was a man of few words, but strong in his love for his family. My mother, Nancy, was a beacon of kindness and resilience, a spirit that burned bright despite the hardships we faced. We moved to Indiana, a land of opportunity, yet still rife with challenges. I was a boy who loved to read, devouring every book I could lay my hands on. But formal education was a luxury we could not afford. I learned by the firelight, my mind fueled by the thirst for knowledge.