Self-reliance.

"Envy is ignorance, imitation is suicide."

I knew I loved Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Every year I surprise myself when I rediscover my love of the Transcendentalists.  I mostly love teaching the ideas of nonconformity, self-reliance and confidence to my high school students, because who could possibly be a better audience for such ideas?

Nonconformity.  Self-reliance.  Confidence.

High school students generally stare at me, shaking their heads, confirming their understanding of the lesson I preach.  My hope, however, is not just that they understand Emerson's argument, but that at least one student reconsiders his or her desires to be anyone other than him or herself.

We are our best when we are ourselves.

After considering how much I hope these words, these lessons, will affect my students, I am always left wondering how well I have taken Emerson's words to heart.

While I am at a point in my life where I can confidently say I have transcended any desire of "imitation", jealousy is another story.  I am not above admitting that there are moments envy finds its way into my life.  I might be ashamed that this immature and selfish emotion still lingers in my life, but I'm not too proud to admit it.

What bothers me most about envy is that it blinds us in our ability to be thankful for what we DO have. I choose, therefore, to rise above such trivial feelings and find fulfillment in what I have, because I have so much.  What do shoes and clothes and smart phones have on love and friendship and family?  Absolutely nothing.

Thank you, Emerson.  Every year you remind me how trivial it is to want anything other than what I have.

I have everything I could possibly need.