Give all to love; Obey thy heart; Friends, kindred, days, Estate, good fame, Plans, credit, and the muse; Nothing refuse.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Emerson urges total commitment to love and intuition, asking us to sacrifice conventional concerns like fame, wealth, and plans for the sake of genuine feeling.
- In plain terms
- Love completely and follow your instincts, giving up everything else that doesn't matter as much.
- What can you take from it?
- Prioritize love and intuition over material or social gains.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What would you refuse to sacrifice for love?
- Is obeying your heart always safe?
Another view
Total devotion to love might leave one vulnerable to exploitation or neglect of practical needs.
More from Ralph Waldo Emerson
Olympian bards who sung Divine Ideas below, Which always find us young, And always keep us so.
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