*EMERSON*

"Self-Reliance"
"Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string. Accept the place the divine providence has found for you, the society of your contemporaries, the connection of events. Great men have always done so, and confided themselves childlike to the genius of their age, betraying their perception that the absolutely trustworthy was seated at their heart, working through their hands, predominating in all their being. And we are now men, and must accept in the highest mind the same transcendent destiny; and not minors and invalids in a protected corner, not cowards fleeing before a revolution, but guides, redeemers, and benefactors, obeying the Almighty effort, and advancing on Chaos and the Dark."

Reflection: This piece of literature by Emerson is saying that an individual should trust the concept of his or her individuality. It is also explaining that inside ones heart there is an essence of god and that person should be in tune with not only the individual that they are but also the almighty God. Everson says that imitating someone else is suicide because that person is silencing their own voice only to become more like someone else. Each man can fulfill his dreams by following his own destiny and being his/herself.

Dear Diary,
After reading Everson's "Self Reliance", I truly realized the concept of individuality. Many people that surround me strive to be like someone else, and at times although it is hard not to do the same, I strive for something completely opposite, to be no one but myself.

"Nature"
"To go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from society. I am not solitary whilst I read and write, though nobody is with me. But if a man would be alone, let him look at the stars. The rays that come from those heavenly worlds, will separate between him and what he touches. One might think the atmosphere was made transparent with this design, to give man, in the heavenly bodies, the perpetual presence of the sublime. Seen in the streets of cities, how great they are! If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore; and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God which had been shown! But every night come out these envoys of beauty, and light the universe with their admonishing smile."

Reflection: When reading Nature, Everson conveys that when one’s mind is open to the nature then it is going to influence your sole. The nature surrounding you extends your character, as age is unimportant as it brings back memories that are not contained by age. At many times people become so busy that they take things for granted such as nature and its significance for granted. However, Everson implies that if you become a part of the nature you also become a part of God and although one can never perfect nature, the more time they spend in it, those imperfections are merely invisible.

Dear Diary,
After reading "Nature" I began to think of the time that I spend out in nature and after this I realized that it doesn't happen very often. However, the time that I do spend out in nature is a time that I am able to relax and clear my mind of all of the other things that occupy my time. I guess you could say that I have taken my environment for granted, as I never really understood the significance of it, however after reading this I realize that I need to spend more time with nature, for it triggers memory, which would make me think of all the old/good times, and it re-nourishes the soul, which after a long day at school or an all nighter doing homework, is good for anyone!

Transcendental Eyeball:

Reflection: "A Line-Storm Song"
The poem “A Line-Storm Song” written by Robert Frost refers to a man who is completely in touch with the nature around him. In this poem the particular man speaks of the nature as if it is his love, he enjoys being around it for it brings back memories and puts him at ease. Everson is a transcendentalist and I chose this poem to go along with the transparent eyeball that I created as it reflects his poem “Nature” and explains his theory that as long as one has nature he will rejuvenate his soul and be able to be at peace.

Reflection: "The Beauty of the Trees"
Likewise, the other poem that I chose to go along with Everson’s “Nature” and my transparent eyeball is the poem called “The Beauty of the Trees” by Chief Dan George. I chose this poem because it describes how a man is able to connect with his surroundings and the nature becomes a part of him. The man in this particular poem says that the nature surrounding him speaks to him, and transcendentalist, Everson, reflects that same opinion, for he is one in nature and believes that it can be used as a tool for personal growth. When one is connected with nature such as these three men, there is a great deal of appreciation for the land and what it brings to each person that many people take for granted. After reading each of these pieces of literature I realize that there are many things that I take for granted, but more importantly, I learned that if I take time for myself and spend some of that time outside in “Nature” I will reach a better understanding of the world around me and what I can fix within myself.