In plain words
They look down on me because I have no good clothes and because I am poor,” he said.
Then his mother sat her son down beside her: “My son! You need not grieve over so small a thing. All this is good for your future! Keep in mind the state of our family, and pay no heed to whatever anyone says. Live with self-confidence and self-respect. Respect every person. Then everyone will respect you,” she taught him. From that day Lincoln followed his mother's word and respected everyone. He spoke with great respect even to the man who stitched sandals. “Sir, you are blessed! You stitch sandals for us so that thorns do not prick our feet; you do great service,” he would say. In this way Lincoln won the respect of all through his goodness. He earned a good name. Once an election came round. All Lincoln's friends came to him and pressed him to stand in the election. “I am a poor man. Who will cast a vote for me? I want no power or position,” said Lincoln. Today the people of our Bhārata spend crores on elections, but when it comes to giving a beggar a single coin, they draw back. Urged on by his friends, Lincoln stood in the election and won. In time the whole people together elected him President of America. Then he came to his mother and said, “Mother! Your teaching of those days has brought me such honour today.”
“Mātṛdevobhava, pitṛdevo bhava”
If children are to win a good name, they must take their mother's command upon their heads. The Veda gave mother and father the highest place, saying ‘Mātṛdevobhava, pitṛdevo bhava’. The mother is like our body; the father is like the Ātma. So we must respect our parents. Then we will receive respect in full measure. We must put to good use the wealth our parents earned. Every drop of blood in our body is filled with nothing but the Prema of our parents.