UNCOMMON CENTS

ABRAHAM LINCOLN REFUSED TO LEND HIS STEPBROTHER $80.00. IN AN INSPIRATIONAL LETTER HE POINTED OUT THAT AFTER HAVING "HELPED" HIM OUT AT VARIOUS TIMES, IN A "SHORT TIME" HE WAS "IN THE SAME DIFFICULTY AGAIN." HONEST ABE CONTINUES, " NOW THIS CAN ONLY HAPPEN BY SOME DEFECT IN YOUR CONDUCT. ...YOU ARE AN IDLER.... THIS HABIT OF USELESSLY WASTING TIME, IS THE WHOLE DIFFICULTY. ... YOU SHALL GO TO WORK, 'TOOTH AND NAIL,' FOR SOMEONE WHO WILL GIVE YOU MONEY FOR IT. ...YOU WILL SOON BE OUT OF DEBT. ... YOU SAY YOU WOULD ALMOST GIVE YOUR PLACE IN HEAVEN FOR $70 OR $80 . THEN YOU VALUE YOUR PLACE IN HEAVEN VERY CHEAPLY. ... NONSENSE! ... IF YOU WILL BUT FOLLOW MY ADVICE, YOU WILL FIND IT WORTH MORE THAN EIGHT TIMES EIGHTY DOLLARS TO YOU." SAVING AND INVESTING SOME OF HIS EARNINGS, LINCOLN'S STEP-BROTHER WOULD HAVE HAD A WHOLE LOT MORE.

"NEITHER A BORROWER NOR A LENDER BE" WAS ADVICE ALSO GIVEN OUT BY POLONIUS, A FRIEND TO HAMLET IN A SHAKESPEAREAN PLAY TWO MILLENNIA BEFORE LINCOLN DISPENSED HIS TIME-TESTED ADVICE. ATTACHED TO THIS ADVICE, LIKE A CODICIL, SHOULD BE THE WARNING THAT DEBT, RENDERED OR INCURRED - AS LINCOLN NOTED - DOES NOT BUILD CHARACTER. LINCOLN KNEW THAT STEADY EMPLOYMENT COULD KICK START A GOOD LIFE BUT LINCOLN DIDN'T FORESEE TODAY'S POSSIBILITIES FOR SELLING ONE'S SOUL TO THE DEVIL. NOW THE DEVIL'S BUSINESS OFTEN INVOLVES SACRIFICING ONE'S POTENTIAL WEALTH TO UNNECESSARY SPENDING WITH BANK LOANS, SECOND MORTGAGES, CREDIT CARDS NOT PAID OFF, REPETITIVE CASH ADVANCE LOANS OR RENT-TO OWN AGREEMENTS, GAMBLING AT CASINOS OR IN THE LOTTERY OR BY SPONGING OFF FRIENDS AND RELATIVES. HOW DO THESE COMPROMISES WITH YOUR HARD-EARNED DOLLARS BUILD SELF-ESTEEM AND SELF-RELIANCE? GOOD, OLD FASHIONED ROBBERY WAS LESS COMPLICATED THAN THE MEASURES MODERN AMERICAN CONSUMERS TAKE TO AVOID RESPONSIBILITY.

HINT: NEITHER A BORROWER NOR A LENDER BE. K.I.S.S.