Mas Emerson

I once heard a preacher who sorely tempted me to say, I would go to church no more. Men go, thought I, where they are wont to go, else had no soul entered the temple in the afternoon. A snow storm was falling around us. The snow storm was real; the preacher merely spectral; and the eye felt the sad contrast in looking at him, and then out of the window behind him, into the beautiful meteor of the snow. He had lived in vain. He had no one word intimating that he had laughed or wept, was married or in love, had been commended, or cheated, or chagrined. If he had ever lived and acted, we were none the wiser for it. The capital secret of his profession, namely, to convert life into truth, he had not learned. Not one fact in all his experience, had he yet imported into his doctrine. - From the Divinity School Address.

I've been spending my day reading this, philosophically productive!

The Guardian on Katie and Alex's split

This is quite possibly the best news article I've read in years.

I'm a little late to this being in the UK and all, but it is AMAZING.

Not sure how long this link will last...

I've had nothing to do at work the last few days, so I've decided to be productive and read articles, inspirational quotes, and such. I read a lot of Emerson quotes and decided to give him another try. I was, like most American's, forced to read some Emerson article's in high school and could barely comprehend them.

I've been missing out. I find him unbelievably inspiring. This quote articulate's what my soul has been trying to say the past three weeks or so:

"I appeal from your customs. I must be myself. I cannot break myself any longer for you, or you. If you can love me for what I am, we shall be happier. If you cannot, I will still seek to deserve that you should. I must be myself. I will not hide my tastes or aversions. I will so trust that what is deep is holy, that I will do strongly before the sun and moon whatever inly rejoices me and the heart appoints. If you are noble, I will love you; if you are not, I will not hurt you and myself by hypocritical attentions. If you are true, but not in the same truth with me, cleave to your companions; I will seek my own. I do this not selfishly but humbly and truly. It is alike your interest, and mine, and all men’s, however long we have dwelt in lies, to live in truth. Does this sound harsh to-day? You will soon love what is dictated by your nature as well as mine, and if we follow the truth it will bring us out safe at last.—But so may you give these friends pain. Yes, but I cannot sell my liberty and my power, to save their sensibility. Besides, all persons have their moments of reason, when they look out into the region of absolute truth; then will they justify me and do the same thing."- Ralph Waldo Emerson

START HAPPY

I'm happy that my new job has now sent me both a contract and a starting day email. IT'S REALLY HAPPENING! MONDAY!

"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment."
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

The most important thing in life is to stop saying ‘I wish’ and start saying ‘I will.’ Consider nothing impossible, then treat possiblities as probabilities.
David Copperfield, Charles Dickens
via FYLQ