Let me just start off by saying that Franklin did much better than I could have ever done running away at the age of 17. If that was me, I would have been royally screwed. Franklin however, did not seem to be phased by the limitless obstacles standing in his way. I'm not saying he had it easy, but I can't say that I would have been able to do as he did even at my age now.
Reading "The Autobiography" gave me a new insight into the person I have learned about with the name Benjamin Franklin. Maybe I didn't pay that close attention in my history classes, or maybe this part of his life never came up. Either way, I definitely learned something new with this reading.
Franklin was without a doubt a "self-made man." He epitomizes "The American Dream." Seeing how he went from having nothing to making a great life for himself gave me a bigger appreciation for him as a man.
I got a pretty big kick out of looking at his two charts. The fact that he took the time to keep track of his sins is quite unique. Most people make a conscious effort to live better, but Franklin took it a whole step up. Maybe even two. I like the idea of using a chart as he did, but it isn't exactly realistic. Franklin was focused on being perfect, but I truly believe in imperfection. I don't think anyone should want to be perfect because then what does a person have to strive for. What's left? Franklin's schedule is unimaginable to me. I tend to think that I have a busy schedule, but I don't think I would be able to survive a day in his shoes. Franklin definitely had his hands full.
Although I don't think it is necessarily healthy to strive for being absolutely perfect, I do think that a lot can be taken from what Franklin was doing for himself.
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