“God offers to every mind its choice between truth and repose.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Emerson wrote this as part of an incredible essay titled “Intellect.”

His essays are so well thought and densely packed with statements like this.  It makes me aspire to elevate the quality of my blog posts because if his essays were broken into blog posts, they would be some of the most insightful and intelligent posts available.  There is probably more to be said here, but not really the focus of this post.

There is so much I love about this quote.  Emerson goes on to discuss how a man can easily accept the first truth or assertion offered or he can continue to pursue real truth.  This takes work.  Finding the truth in our own lives takes work.  We can enjoy repose, but what does it truly accomplish?  Does it make us better people?  Does it enrich our lives?  How else can we determine what is the best course for us without exploring possibilities.  Rarely do possibilities approach us.  We must pursue them or at least create the environment that attracts possibilities.  Repose offers only the current reality.

In work we find truth.  Working reveals our strengths and weaknesses.  It exposes our true gifts and the truth that in order to be whole we need other people.  We need the other parts of our families, businesses, friend circles, churches, etc in order to form a perfect whole.  We cannot do so alone as we as individuals are imperfectly balanced now and forever.  In repose we are not tested.  In repose we are not refined.

The quote specifically states that this is offered to the mind.  Physical work is one thing, thought work is another.  We spend and glorify physical fitness.  We may have a wellness program or gym memberships, diet plans, and so on focused on our physical fitness.  What of the mind?  What effort and investment do we make in mental well-being.  This can be applied not only to our individual lives, but our corporate lives.  What programs and efforts to we invest in to the benefit of our collective organizations?