“To live content with small means;
to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion;
to be worthy, not respectable,
and wealthy, not rich;
to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly;
to listen to stars and birds,
to babes and sages, with open heart;
to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely,
wait occasions, hurry never.
In a word,
to let the spiritual, unbidden, and unconscious,
grow up through the common.“
- William Henry Channing
