It was the lifelong desire of General Stonewall Jackson's to be a kind person, a devout Christian, a gentleman and friend that compelled him to keep a notebook of sorts, his "book of maxims". He researched and reflected upon things that he felt would help him succeed in achieving his personal goals. Who knows, had he been alive in the 21st century, maybe he would have had a blog!

I don't know if it was one of General Jackson's dreams to become a military leader, but fate propelled him and his commitment to excellence steadied him along the way. A few years ago, I watched the movie Gods and Generals. The way General Jackson was portrayed in the film really impressed me. I felt that if the movie was true to history, General Jackson was quite a remarkable and admirable man. And now, after reading Stonewall Jackson's Book of Maxims, I learned that my feelings were fully warranted.

A couple of quick facts about General Stonewall Jackson:

* He was painfully shy, but worked diligently to overcome it.
* He organized and taught a Sunday afternoon Bible class for local slaves.
* He was very strict with himself, always avoiding overeating and did not drink alcohol.
* He lost his first wife in childbirth, and was grief-stricken.
* He kept his temper in check and rarely raised his voice to the soldiers under his command.

Another interesting thing about General Jackson was that he closely studied the works of Lord Chesterfield, who wrote:

"By the help of history, a young man may, in some measure, acquire the experience of old age. In reading what has been done, he is apprised of what he has to do; the more he is informed of what is past, the better he will know how to conduct himself in the future."

I believe General Jackson did indeed apply his readings to his life, and reaped the benefits from doing so. This book inspired me to continue to study important things, and to also be mindful of the knowledge of those who have gone before us. ( )