But man postpones or remembers; he does not live in the present, but with reverted eye laments the past, or, heedless of the riches that surround him, stands on tiptoe to foresee the future. He cannot be happy and strong until he too lives with nature in the present, above time.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of living in the present rather than being trapped in the past or future.
Ralph Waldo Emerson's quote reflects on how human beings often fail to appreciate the current moment, as they are either dwelling on their past regrets or anxiously anticipating the future. He suggests that true happiness and strength can only be achieved by embracing the present and connecting with nature, thereby transcending the constraints of time.
In practice
In a motivational talk about mindfulness, one might use this quote to emphasize the importance of being present in one's life.
It is plain that there is no separate essence called courage, no cup or cell in the brain, no vessel in the heart containing drops or atoms that make or give this virtue; but it is the right or healthy state of every man, when he is free to do that which is constitutional to him to do.
Few people have any next, they live from hand to mouth without a plan, and are always at the end of their line.
Men cease to interest us when we find their limitations
Tis the good reader that makes the good book; a good head cannot read amiss: in every book he finds passages which seem confidences or asides hidden from all else and unmistakeably meant for his ear.
The world belongs to the energetic.
Hast thou named all the birds without a gun?
A madman and an arahant both smile, but the arahant knows why while the madman doesn't.
Experience is the only real teacher and if you keep a diary you get three bites at educating yourself - when it happens, when you write it down, and when you reread it and realise you were wrong. Making mistakes is part of life. The only things I would feel ashamed of would be if I had said things I hadn't believed in order to get on. Some politicians do do that.
Indeed, I am repeatedly astonished by the number of really good writers who understand human beings so well on paper but don't know how to deal with them in real life.
An American monkey, after getting drunk on brandy, would never touch it again, and thus is much wiser than most men.
What we get from each moment depends on the attention we give it, and the quality of our experience reflects the quality of our awareness.
I'm not cruel, sir, I won't shoot you in the guts, but I will make you realize how much you took your toes for granted.
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