#emerson

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. The populace think that your rejection of popular standards is a rejection of all standard, and mere antinomianism; and the bold sensualist will use the name of philosophy to gild his crimes. But the law of consciousness abides. ↗

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

#love

Your goodness must have some edge to it -- else it is none. ↗

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

#anderbo-com #art #beauty #behavior #books

I always want you, Jules. Even when I hated you, even when I wished I’d never see your face again, I still lost my mind thinking all the things I’d do to you, if you came back.” His voice breaks. When he speaks again, it’s with a rough, ragged tone, like he’s forcing the words out. “I’ll always want you, Juliet. It’ll be the fucking death of me, but I won’t ever stop. ↗

— Melody Grace

#death

Dream delivers us to dream and there is no end to illusion. ↗

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

#ralph-waldo-emerson #dreams

Trent’s chest rises with a quick inhale as his hands lift to grab mine and pull them out, placing them with a pat on the outside of his shirt. “Okay, you win. But don’t do that while I’m driving or we’ll end up in a ditch.” He looks over his shoulder again, adding in a soft, solemn tone, “I’m serious, Kacey. I can’t handle it. ↗

— K.A. Tucker

#k-a-tucker #kacey-cleary #kacey-trent #ten-tiny-breaths #trent-emerson

Noah held my hair away from my face. ↗

— Katie McGarry

#echo-emerson #katiemcgarry #love #noah-hutchins #pushing-the-limits

I went to Concord, a young woman from the backwoods, firm in belief that Emerson was the first of living men. He was the modern Moses who had talked with God apart and could interpret Him to us. ↗

— Rebecca Harding Davis

#belief #concord #could #emerson #firm

Emerson then incarnated the moral optimism, the progress, and the energy of the American spirit. ↗

— Howard Mumford Jones

#american spirit #emerson #energy #moral #optimism

Emerson was the chief figure in the American transcendental movement, a fact that complicates all accounts of him in literary or cultural history. ↗

— Howard Mumford Jones

#american #chief #complicates #cultural #emerson

Not sure how I felt about Antonio and Echo, I linked my fingers with hers. Antonio cocked a surprised eyebrow. Damn straight, bro. I just marked my territory. ↗

— Katie McGarry

#echo-emerson #katie-mcgarry #love #noah-and-echo #noah-hutchins