Ralph Waldo Emerson
Born May 25, 1803 Boston, MA
Died April 27, 1882 Buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery Concord MA
Many probably wonder why I quote Ralph Waldo Emerson at the end of each Blog. There are few people who have moved me or caused me to think as this man has. Such common sense and down to earth realism is spoken in his words. Yes, it is written in older English form but reading his text is amazing for me. Some find it hard to understand and toss great pieces of literature aside. It is sad what they have lost by doing so. Emerson’s style creates depth of meaning and a great accuracy in what he relates. One is spurred to think as they read to ensure understanding is accurate and broaden their personal concepts and ideas. Use of a dictionary is imperative at times. One wants to recognize the understanding of unfamiliar words or just how a certain word was used in Emerson’s day. The intensity of his writings is conveyed far more greatly in this manner than in the simplistic language of today’s writings. Emerson is a profound thinker with so much to tell us about ourselves and the world we live in. Yes, even after almost a century and a half since his passing, his words ring true for mankind.
Emerson wrote on a variety of subjects. Never did he espouse this is how you should think or what you should do. His goal was to get you to open your mind and heart and see the world around us as it truly is. 
He wants us to look at life and people with new eyes and the abounding potential held within. He coaxes us to ponder our inner beliefs and toss out what is no longer necessary building a stronger foundation for future accomplishments. As Emerson himself would tell us “Speak what you think today in hard words and tomorrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said today.” Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance A wonderful thing about mankind is we can change our minds and grow. Emerson wanted us to have conviction in our own personal beliefs and never be afraid to learn more which will require a change or expansion that belief. He wanted the world to see anything was possible for anyone when our thoughts focused so our actions would achieve what we desired. Nothing is impossible.
Emerson, though born of a Unitarian minister and actually becoming a Unitarian minister himself, followed a very different approach once he got out and about in life. He was a well educated man with just one of his points of education having been Harvard Divinity School. Emerson’s father passed away when he was just eight years of age. He lost two of his brothers at very young ages, not forget his wife who passed away just two years after marrying. Emerson knew far too many sorrows at far too young an age. It is no wonder he began to think deeper and deeper into the wonderments of life.
Emerson soon moved beyond the beliefs of Unitarianism and opened the pathway for transcendentalism. He believed that society and all the institutions of its own creation have tainted the goodness and beauty within the individual person when left to their own. Thus, Emerson wrote ‘Self Reliant‘. He became more pantheistic meaning he saw god in everything, everyone, everywhere. Emerson was a freethinker and encouraged all of us to be such. Think for yourselves and grow knowledge and understand of our world and the people in it. Not to be weighed and burdened by society and what it thinks we should all be. Be ones self. Be the best self you possibly can be. Emerson was not afraid to continue learning and continue growing. He pushed ahead and pushed the limits. Most importantly, he shared what he learned and what he pondered along the way. He spoke his truth from deep within so we may find our own truth deep within and pull it out to life.
Upon his gravestone plaque we read, “THE PASSIVE MASTER LENT HIS HAND TO THE VAST SOUL THAT OER HIM PLANNED.”
Some of the Works by Ralph Waldo Emerson s
- History
- Self-Reliance
- Compensation
- Spiritual Laws
- Love
- Friendship
- Prudence
- Heroism
- The Over-Soul
- Circles
- Intellect
- Art
- The Poet
- Experience
- Character
- Manners
- Gifts
- Mature
- Politics
- Nominalist and Realist
My favorite Emerson Quote: “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now in hard words, and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day. — ‘Ah, so you shall be sure to be misunderstood.’ — Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.” Self Reliance, for sure, my favorite essay.
If you prefer audio, I discovered this site, http://www.rwe.org/ . Not all but some of Emerson’s writings have been recorded. I truly hope you will be curious enough to look into Emerson’s mind. Take your time, as his words are to be savored. Never stop thinking, never stop learning, never stop imagining. Your life can and will be everything you believe.
“It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance
Be yourself no matter where or with whom you associate. You are important just being who you are. RIP Mr. Emerson you’ve inspired millions! A job well done.