Today is Ralph Waldo Emerson’s birth day. His writing has become a part of my “words are powerful” treasured collection along with inspirations from Maya Angelou, Anne Lamott, David Whyte, Pema Chödrön, Matthew McConaughey, Thomas Moore, and lots more.
A sampler:
“Nature always wears the colors of the spirit.”
“For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind.” (Ouch- so that’s where that lost time went)
“People do not seem to realize that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character.”
“A friend may be reckoned the masterpiece of nature.” (Lucky me- I’m surrounded by masterpieces)
“The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.”
“Philosophically considered, the universe is composed of Nature and the Soul.”
“He who is not everyday conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life…. Always do what you are afraid to do.” ( Some days I’m filled with grit/determination/courage to forge ahead. Those days are glorious )
Here’s the one that calls to me today:
“Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson May 25, 1803-April 27, 1882
Got a favorite Emerson quote?
It seems Emerson liked to go by the name Waldo. And then there is Where’s Waldo, (pub. 1987) the dapper-dressed man who set off on a “world-wide hike” leaving a trail of items that the reader had to locate. I kind of like the connection of the dapper Waldo and my Waldo of the 1800s leaving a trail of words for his readers to find.
Ethel Lee-Miller blogs regularly about people, the power of words, and her writing life. She’s retired from professional writing gigs after 30 years of teaching, coaching, editing, and gathering writers to publicly share their work. She is the author of Thinking of Miller Place, and Seedlings, Stories of Relationships. In retirement she writes to inspire, to connect with folks, and for the pure enjoyment of it. Ethel enjoys sharing stories at Odyssey Storytelling, Zoom gatherings, and anywhere there’s a mic or a Zoom room.
