Ralph Waldo Emerson: Attributed in early collections; see Essays, First Series
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
Reflection
We list this one with its attribution caveat intact. The idea still holds: your history and your forecast are both smaller than your present capacity to act.
Source record
- Author
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
- Original source
- Attributed in early collections; see Essays, First Series
- Original date
- 1841
- Edition used
- Public domain — attribution disputed, cited as commonly published
Soul and Wisdom offers source-led reflection for adults 18+. It does not diagnose, treat, provide therapy, or offer crisis care.