--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Abraham Lincoln once walked down the…" description: "\"Abraham Lincoln once walked down the street with his two sons, both of whom were crying. \"What's the matter with you boys?\" asked a passerby. \"Exactly ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04c/george-sweeting-52311_abraham_abraham-lincoln-once-walked-down-the-str_3007609.jpg" --- # Abraham Lincoln once walked down the street with his two… ![“Abraham Lincoln once walked down the street with his two sons, both of whom were crying. "What's the matter with you boys?" asked a passerby. "Exactly what is wrong with the whole world," said Lincoln. "I have three walnuts, and each boy wants two."” quote by George Sweeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04c/george-sweeting-52311_abraham_abraham-lincoln-once-walked-down-the-str_3007609.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04c/george-sweeting-52311_abraham_abraham-lincoln-once-walked-down-the-str_3007609.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04c/george-sweeting-52311_abraham_abraham-lincoln-once-walked-down-the-str_3007609.jpg) > “Abraham Lincoln once walked down the street with his two sons, both of whom were crying. "What's the matter with you boys?" asked a passerby. "Exactly what is wrong with the whole world," said Lincoln. "I have three walnuts, and each boy wants two."” [George Sweeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sweeting/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Lincoln uses a paradoxical story to illustrate the absurdity of trying to satisfy impossible demands. **In simple terms:** Impossible demands reveal deeper problems. Key Takeaway Question unrealistic expectations. Themes philosophy humor paradox Mood thoughtful humorous Type philosophical anecdotal When to use this quote - family counseling - conflict resolution - policy making - education - media analysis Key Concepts ethical dilemmas logic leadership Questions to Reflect On - What does the walnut story symbolize? - How can leaders address impossible expectations? A Different Perspective May trivialize serious issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abraham/) [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) [Passerby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passerby/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) [Streets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streets/) [Whole world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“Young Bob Lincoln and Elmer Ellsworth . . . were cutting up in the office, and Lincoln reproved them. Bob replied by quoting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-hertz/young-bob-lincoln-and-elmer-ellsworth-were-cutting-up-in-the-office/) Emanuel Hertz > [“I didn't know it could be like this," she said later. Not later that night. But on a night a lot like that one.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/i-didn-t-know-it-could-be-like-this-she-said-later-not-later-that/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Have you kissed many boys before?" he asked quietly. His question brought my mind back into focus. I raised an eyebrow. "Boys? That's an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-hodkin/have-you-kissed-many-boys-before-he-asked-quietly-his-question/) [Michelle Hodkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-hodkin/) > [For the girl who says that all the boys r SAME should be asked . . . . who told HER to try ALL OF THEM . ? ;D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/for-the-girl-who-says-that-all-the-boys-r-same-should-be-asked-who/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [My boys asked me to write beautiful letters for their ex-girls so they could get them back. 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Don't rely on some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-king/if-you-are-a-blackman-in-america-and-get-stopped-by-the-police-make/) [Don King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-king/) > [I would willingly stand at street corners, hat in hand, begging passerby to drop their unused minutes into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-berenson/i-would-willingly-stand-at-street-corners-hat-in-hand-begging/) [Bernard Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-berenson/) ## More by George Sweeting > [I lose my temper, but it's all over in a minute," said the student. "So is the hydrogen bomb," I replied. "But think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sweeting/i-lose-my-temper-but-it-s-all-over-in-a-minute-said-the-student-so-is/) [George Sweeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sweeting/) > [What do you conceive God to be like? 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You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [Hebron is a bone of contention between Israeli settlers and the Palestinians in part because Abraham is buried there, in the Tomb of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/hebron-is-a-bone-of-contention-between-israeli-settlers-and-the/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [Donald Trump is not going to be the nominee, because we are not going to allow - people will wake up and we're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/donald-trump-is-not-going-to-be-the-nominee-because-we-are-not-going/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [“Never you look down on your Abraham because of your Sarah because the blessing is not in the womb of Sarah but in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ikechukwu-izuakor/never-you-look-down-on-your-abraham-because-of-your-sarah-because-the/) [Ikechukwu Izuakor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ikechukwu-izuakor/) > [“Whatever you are, be a good one.”   Abraham Lincoln”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rriiver-nyile/whatever-you-are-be-a-good-one-abraham-lincoln/) [Rriiver Nyile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rriiver-nyile/) > [Moses was a great leader, right? But he wasn't a great communicator. And so God sent him Aaron so he could, let's say, communicate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-milei/moses-was-a-great-leader-right-but-he-wasn-t-a-great-communicator-and/) [Javier Milei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-milei/) > [“king of Heshbon. 6 b Moses, the servant of the”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/king-of-heshbon-6-b-moses-the-servant-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In the end, thought Sol, past logic and hope, it is dreams and the love of those dearest to us that form Abraham’s answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/in-the-end-thought-sol-past-logic-and-hope-it-is-dreams-and-the-love/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [It was psychobabbler Abraham Maslow who wrote of the phenomena of self-actualization. What Maslow failed to grasp is that reaching true self-actualization can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/it-was-psychobabbler-abraham-maslow-who-wrote-of-the-phenomena-of/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [“Mungu hutumia watu 'wajinga' na 'wapumbavu' kufanya mambo makubwa katika maisha yao na ya watu wengine. Katika Biblia, Musa aliitwa mjinga alipokiuka amri ya…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/mungu-hutumia-watu-wajinga-na-wapumbavu-kufanya-mambo-makubwa-katika/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [“9. Abraham’s death (25:1 – 11) After Sarah’s death, Abraham took another wife, Keturah. Abraham was a rejuvenated old man and continued to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-sailhamer/9-abraham-s-death-25-1-11-after-sarah-s-death-abraham-took-another/) [John H. Sailhamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-sailhamer/) > [“The biblical story of the binding of Isaac shows that human sacrifice was far from unthinkable in the 1st millennium BCE. The Israelites boasted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-biblical-story-of-the-binding-of-isaac-shows-that-human-sacrifice/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Everybody faces obstacles. And I looked to people who had been through many to succeed in life. Abraham Lincoln, born to a poor family,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winfield/everybody-faces-obstacles-and-i-looked-to-people-who-had-been-through/) [Dave Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winfield/) > [Someone asked me...how it felt and I was reminded of a story that a fellow townsman of ours used to tell--Abraham Lincoln. They asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/someone-asked-me-how-it-felt-and-i-was-reminded-of-a-story-that-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [American foreign policy and military might have opened an opportunity for the Gospel in the land of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stanley/american-foreign-policy-and-military-might-have-opened-an-opportunity/) [Charles Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stanley/) [Browse all 484 Abraham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abraham/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Abraham Lincoln once walked down the street with his two sons, both of whom were crying. \"What's the matter with you boys?\" asked a passerby. \"Exactly what is wrong with the whole world,\" said Lincoln. \"I have three walnuts, and each boy wants two.\"", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Sweeting" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sweeting/abraham-lincoln-once-walked-down-the-street-with-his-two-sons-both-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abraham" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sweeting/abraham-lincoln-once-walked-down-the-street-with-his-two-sons-both-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04c/george-sweeting-52311_abraham_abraham-lincoln-once-walked-down-the-str_3007609.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04c/george-sweeting-52311_abraham_abraham-lincoln-once-walked-down-the-str_3007609.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04c/george-sweeting-52311_abraham_abraham-lincoln-once-walked-down-the-str_3007609.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Abraham Lincoln once walked down the street with his two sons, both of whom were crying. \"What's the matter…” — George Sweeting", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "George Sweeting", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sweeting/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Abraham Lincoln once walked down the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sweeting/abraham-lincoln-once-walked-down-the-street-with-his-two-sons-both-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sweeting/abraham-lincoln-once-walked-down-the-street-with-his-two-sons-both-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```