http://emersoncentral.com/selfreliance.htm
Writing this entry is contradictory and wrong. The essay of which I type these words seeks to educate the humble man to a realization that no greatness is ever achieved from imitation. It is inside ourselves that we find true happiness and purpose. We are all no more or less greater than our ancestors, whose names are remembered or forgotten.
There really is no more that I can say of this essay than to read it, as it rings with many truths and ideas that I would never want to rewrite. And yet, I feel it asking me to write all the same. Not to repeat words which I have read, but think and breathe and be my own thoughts and opinions, and to know that as right or wrong to others as they may be, they are ultimately mine and as such priceless. It asks me to rely on my intuition.
Rather than seek advice and wisdom, we should discover faith in ourselves. Every one of us knows what is right, in a way that does not matter to anyone else, and is so absolute that it is at first thought unquestionable. These feelings of infalible intuition are the very core of our individuality, and a compass to happiness, fulfillment and an honestly lived life. Disspel your fears of your past; your need to adhere to it and your dread to repeat it. The past has trailed behind us only to get us to this point, and will continue to fall like dust, not asking us to look back. Every new moment is yours to work with how you chose. Every action is yours, as your hands cannot be forced. True responsibility comes not from following orders or suggestions, but from actualizing our individual whims in a self-sustaining and thoughtful manner. We all know the world in which we live and the opportunities that constantly sit like cakes behind glass that we feel unable to attain. Be one with that world. Do not let it disappoint you, because that sadness is only yours, not the world's.
But I believe that in a world of self-realized individuals, true brotherhood grows. When we are so faithful to ourselves that our actions never feel as if they are influenced by someone else, we then give way to the urge of chivalry. Aiding our fellow humans feels a way to communicate the wonder and beauty of every day life, and supplement our joy through sharing. We often react to situations in a selfish manner - doing what will make us most comfortable, through various forms of sin. The greed of overusing a commodity; the vanity of false interest in another's well-being. When we as fellow humans are not afraid of our thoughts and expressing them, we will find ourselves among our truest friends.
 
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