H.W. Longfellow was a 19th century American poet and educator whose works include “Paul Revere’s Ride”, The Song of Hiawatha, and Evangeline.
I was recently going through some of Longfellow’s quotes and it turns out that in addition to being a great poet he was also a great thinker. This is reflective in the depth contained in many of his poems and quotes.
This article is a collection of 18 such profound quotes from Longfellow and the lessons you can learn from them.
Here are the quotes:
Lesson 1: Acceptance helps you move forward
“For after all, the best thing one can do when it is raining is let it rain.” – H.W. Longfellow
Meaning: Sometimes, resistance is futile and only wastes your energy.
For instance, you cannot stop the rain from coming no matter how hard you try. Instead, by accepting the rain, you can shift your attention toward protecting yourself from the rain, like looking for shelter. The rain is going to stop one day, but you will have all the resources required to deal with it if it comes again.
This way, through practice of acceptance, you get the power to deal with a tough situation by investing your energy in the right place.
Lesson 2: There is immense intelligence present within your body
“The heart, like the mind, has a memory. And in it are kept the most precious keepsakes.” – H.W. Longfellow
Meaning: Intelligence in the mind which has been gathered and accumulated from external sources is extremely minuscule compared to the immense intelligence present within your body.
The intelligence within every single cell of your body is infinite. This intelligence is consciousness itself. All you need to do to get in touch with this intelligence is to get in touch with your body.
Lesson 3: Persistence is the key to success
“Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.” – H.W. Longfellow
Meaning: Many of us give up too easily, but the truly successful are the ones who keep persisting despite the odds. Persistence therefore is the ultimate secret to success.
Lesson 4: Becoming conscious of your thoughts is the way to liberation
“Sit in reverie and watch the changing color of the waves that break upon the idle seashore of the mind.” – H.W. Longfellow
Meaning: When you are unconsciously lost in your thoughts, your thoughts control you, but once you take a moment to sit and become conscious of your thoughts, you begin to break free from this control.
So take your time, every once in a while to sit and watch your thoughts as they appear in the theater of your mind. Do not engage with the thoughts, simply stay aware of them. This is the beginning of consciousness.
Lesson 5: Faith can help you push through the toughest times
“The lowest ebb is the turn of the tide.” – H.W. Longfellow
Meaning: Life exists in phases and every phase of life comes to an end giving birth to a new phase. Therefore the two most powerful virtues you can cultivate are faith and patience as these will give you the strength required to push you through the tough phases of life.
Lesson 6: Hard times bring out your hidden potential
“The sky is filled with stars, invisible by day.” – H.W. Longfellow
Meaning: The stars are always there, but they reveal themselves to us only during the night. In a similar way, every one of us has hidden talents and potential that reveals itself only when the time is right.
Lesson 7: There is beauty in the simplest of things
“I hear the wind among the trees playing the celestial symphonies.” – HW Longfellow
Meaning: There is immense beauty and magic hidden in the most simplest aspects of life and we can discover them once we start to pay conscious attention. So every once in a while, let go of unconscious thinking, and become conscious of the present moment and you will start to find beauty in things that you otherwise take for granted.
Lesson 8: Better things will always come
“Be still, sad heart! and cease repining; Behind the clouds is the sun still shining” – H.W. Longfellow
Meaning: The sun is always shining. There can be moments when it gets hindered by the clouds, but the clouds will soon pass and the sun will shine again. Nothing in this world is permanent and hence, in times of sadness, all one needs to do is have faith and patience for things will get better again.
Lesson 9: Spending time in solitude helps your spirit grow
“The holiest of all holidays are those Kept by ourselves in silence and apart; The secret anniversaries of the heart.” – H.W. Longfellow
Meaning: There is immense power in solitude. When you spend time by yourself in silent self reflection, you get in touch with your inner self and a lot of secrets get revealed to you.
Lesson 10: Nature is the best healer
“Breathe the air Of mountains, and their unapproachable summits will lift thee to the level of themselves.” – H.W. Longfellow
Meaning: The best way to raise your vibration, heal and rejuvenate your entire being is to consciously connect with nature. When you are present with nature, nature elevates your entire being.
Lesson 11: Aiming higher is the secret to achieving your goals
“Every arrow that flies feels the pull of the earth.” – HW Longfellow
Meaning: In order to hit the target, an archer has to aim their arrow higher than the target because they also need to take into account other factors like the gravitational pull on the arrow. In a similar way, if you want to achieve your targets, always aim a lot higher than your original target. Always set your expectations higher.
Lesson 12: Patience will help you achieve your greatest dreams
“Learn To Labor and to ‘WAIT” – HW Longfellow
Meaning: In life, everything happens at its own pace. You cannot force things to happen.
No matter how hard the farmer tries, the crops will grow at their own pace and yield only at the right time. All that the farmer can do is work when the time is right and then wait patiently for the results.
Therefore, one must always have patience, nothing great can be accomplished without it.
Lesson 13: There’s great power in simplicity
“In character, in manner, in style, in all things, the supreme excellence is simplicity.” – H.W. Longfellow
Meaning: At the very core, everything is utterly simple. It is from simplicity that arises the complex. When we shed everything that is unnecessary, all that is left is the essence of simplicity. Therefore, always make a conscious effort to simplify your life and thoughts by letting go of the inessentials. Get in touch with your body and grow from mind centric living to heart centric living.
Lesson 14: Never judge a book by its cover
“Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not; and often times we call a man cold when he is only sad.” – H.W. Longfellow
Meaning: The mind is quick to judge but it takes a lot of conscious effort to try and understand someone. Once you begin to understand someone, you realize their true nature and the judgements automatically drop away.
Lesson 15: Make a conscious effort to be kind
“Kind hearts are the gardens, Kind thoughts are the roots, Kind words are the flowers, Kind deeds are the fruits, Take care of your garden And keep out the weeds, Fill it with sunshine, Kind words, and Kind deeds.” – H.W. Longfellow
Meaning: Be kind to yourself and you will automatically extend this kindness to others. It always works both ways. Be a source of power and positivity.
Lesson 16: The key to success is self awareness
“The talent of success is nothing more than doing what you can do well, and doing well whatever you do without thought of fame.” – H.W. Longfellow
Meaning: The key to success is self awareness – to be aware of your strengths and weaknesses and then to invest your time and energy, working with your strengths fully immersed in the process without worrying about the end result.
Lesson 17: Realize that you are one with the entire universe
“Nationality is a good thing to a certain extent, but universality is better.” – H.W. Longfellow
Meaning: It is good to feel a sense of responsibility toward your nation, but what’s more important is not to forget that you are a human being first and foremost.
Differences are created on a mind level based on your accumulated. But once you become conscious of your beliefs, you realize that you are one with the universe.
Lesson 18: Growth is the purpose of life
“The purpose of that apple tree is to grow a little new wood each year. That is what I plan to do.” – H.W. Longfellow
Meaning: The purpose of life is to continue to learn and grow from within, always striving to become a better version of yourself. This is why it is important to keep an open mind and always be open to learning. The moment you think that you know everything, you stop to grow.
Lesson 19: Everything in life has value
“Nothing useless is, or low; Each thing in its place is best; And what seems but idle show
Strengthens and supports the rest” – H.W. Longfellow
Though it does not come across as obvious, we are all intrinsically connected to every aspect of the universe and beyond. And therefore, every little thing impacts the other. Nothing exists in isolation.
So those were 19 selected quotes from H.W. Longfellow that carry deep and profound insights on life. If you have any quotes that you think would make for a great addition to this list, please feel free to contact us through the contact form.
