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Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ralph Waldo Emerson
In the morning a man walks with his whole body; in the evening, only with his legs.
Few people know how to take a walk. The qualifications are endurance, plain clothes, old shoes, an eye for nature, good humor, vast curiosity, good speech, good silence and nothing too much.
When you have worn out your shoes, the strength of the shoe leather has passed into the fiber of your body. I measure your health by the number of shoes and hats and clothes you have worn out.
I hate quotations.
When a resolute young fellow steps up to the great bully, the world, and takes him boldly by the beard, he is often surprised to find it comes off in his hand, and that it was only tied on to scare away the timid adventurers.
Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. What if they are a little coarse, and you may get your coat soiled or torn? What if you do fail, and get fairly rolled in the dirt once or twice. Up again, you shall never be so afraid of a tumble.
The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common.
What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear you speak.
Life be not so short but that there is always time for courtesy.
None of us will ever accomplish anything excellent or commanding except when he listens to this whisper which is heard by him alone.
Man was born rich, or inevitably grows rich by the use of his faculties; by the union of thought with nature.
Trust men and they will be true to you; treat them greatly and they will show themselves great.
Always do what you are afraid to do.
The future does not belong to those who are content with today, apathetic toward common problems and their fellow man alike, timid and fearful in the face of bold projects and new ideas. Rather, it will belong to those who can blend passion, reason and courage in a personal commitment to [their] ideals.
Belief consists in accepting the affirmations of the soul; unbelief, in denying them.
Life is unnecessarily long. Moments of insight, of fine personal relation, a smile, a glance -- what ample borrowers of eternity they are!
Open the doors of opportunity to talent and virtue and they will do themselves justice.
The magnanimous know very well that they who give time, or money, or shelter, to the stranger -- so it be done for love, and not for ostentation -- do, as it were, put God under obligation to them, so perfect are the compensations of the universe.
To finish the moment, to find the journey's end in every step of the road, to live the greatest number of good hours, is wisdom...Since our office is with moments, let us husband them.
To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.