"A man is a god in ruins. When men are innocent, life shall be longer, and shall pass into the immortal, as gently as we awake from dreams"

This quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson speaks with the concept that people are capable of great things, but that our capacity is frequently ruined by our own actions. He suggests that when we are innocent, life is longer and more significant. He implies that when we are innocent, we can enter the never-ceasing realm more quietly, as if we are waking from a dream. This quote speaks to the idea that we have the power to make our lives meaningful and to reach a greater level of presence, however that we should be mindful of our actions and strive to stay innocent. Emerson's words advise us that we have the power to make our lives significant and to reach a greater level of existence, but that we must be mindful of our actions and strive to stay innocent.