Ralph Waldo Emerson was a philosopher, essayist, and poet who dominated the American Transcendentalism movement. His works were an invitation to self-reliance, personal conscience, and firm faith in one’s inner voice. For Emerson, nature, thought, and action were the most effective teachers if one was mindful of the process. In a way, his ideas contributed to the American intellectual life and still attract readers who are looking for personal liberation and living with a purpose. The legacy of Emerson is still alive as a reminder to think of oneself and to live boldly.