Today’s quote comes from the diary of John Quincy Adams. He wrote it on his forty-fifth birthday–July 11, 1812.
I am forty-five years old— Two thirds of a long life are past, and I have done Nothing to distinguish it by usefulness to my Country, or to Mankind— I have always lived with I hope a suitable sense of my duties in Society, and with a sincere desire to perform them— But Passions, Indolence, weakness, and infirmity have sometimes made me swerve from my better knowledge of right, and almost constantly paralyzed my efforts of good— I have no heavy charge upon my Conscience—for which I bless my Maker, as well as for all the enjoyments that he has liberally bestowed upon me— I pray for his gracious kindness in future— From John Quincy Adams diary 28, 5 August 1809 – 31 July 1813, page 394.
HT: The Beehive
This is a great quote from my personal hero JQA. I first encountered it reading some of the many volumes of his diary for a senior thesis in history at UC Berkeley. I was floored by the quote. The guy had been in and out of the diplomatic service since age 14, had been a US Senator, and still thought that. Wow!
I had the same reaction!
I am just curious, Gabriel. What makes JQA your “personal hero.”