If you have not slept or if you have slept, or if you have a headache, or sciatica, or leprosy, or thunderstroke. I beseech you, by all angels, to hold your peace, and not pollute the morning. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

When I first came across this quote, I laughed out loud.

I found it in a book by Sarah Ban Breathnach called Simple Abundance which my mom had given me years earlier. Truth be told, it took me years after receiving this gift to actually read through the book in a meaningful way. Initially, I viewed it as a bunch of quippy platitudes, and that irritated me. But the book is nothing like that at all. Sarah writes a collection of evocative essays – one for every day of the year – for women who wish to live by their own lights. The author shows us how our daily life can be an expression of our authentic self. She offers daily meditations and gentle lessons for finding our own true path which will lead us to a happier, more fulfilling, and contented way of life. It just took me a while to unfurl my branches and embrace her wisdom. But I am SO glad I did. I highly recommend it. <3

Anyway. I literally laughed out loud when I came across Emerson’s quote in the month of October in Simple Abundance. Because at the time I had been living with a very negative man, and Emerson’s words hit the nail square on the head. The author brought light and humor to the reality of his doldrum daily complaining. Thank you, Ralph! Sometimes all we can do is laugh. And that is what keeps us going.

We are all good at complaining. Maybe this is part of our mind’s negativity bias — the notion that negative things (emotions, unpleasant events, negative thoughts) have a greater impact on our psyche than equal events of a positive, or even neutral nature.

At any rate, Complaining is yuck. Yuck for you, and yuck for those around you.

So, don’t pollute the morning.

If you have not slept or if you have slept, or if you have a headache, or sciatica, or leprosy, or thunderstroke. I beseech you, by all angels, to hold your peace, and not pollute the morning.

Author: Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) was an American essayist, lecturer and poet who led the transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. This movement claims the most important reality is what an individual senses or intuits, rather than what is dictated by organized religion or politics, or even science. Emerson was seen as a champion of individualism, and his works are very widely read and quoted.

How it speaks to me: Hey, we all have issues. A bad night’s sleep, a bad break-up. A hangnail, or a terminal illness. Or thunderstroke, hehe.  But complaining does no good. It, indeed, pollutes our emotional environment. And if you’re complaining to others, you just threw them a virtual cinder block. Ugh … just don’t do it.

Oh, believe me, I have a rough time getting out of bed most mornings. I just can’t seem to wake up and hit the ground running. I am a slow riser. But that is okay. It is okay if you don’t have sparks shooting out of your tail in the morning either. The point is, to spare yourself, and others if they are nearby, your complaining. The day deserves a grand welcome!

So, then, look for the positive in greeting your day! Be grateful, enjoy the peace of morning. And, please, if you are a negative Nancy, do not drag others down, too. <3