Thoreau notes
Where I Lived, and What I Lived For I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. To live “deliberately” – with purpose To “front” (confront) only the “essential” (necessary) To see what nature could teach about life To experience life with out distractions, this way he can die without regret
I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartanlike as to put rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion. Live deep…the marrow of life… To get to the best/sweetest part of life. Spartanlike…put rout all that was not life…drive life into a corner… To get rid of all things not necessary to survival. If it proved to be mean….or if it were sublime… If this turns out to be terrible, I’ll tell the world. But if it proves to be great, I’m going to know it first-hand.
Our life is frittered away by detail…simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! Simplify your life. We let too many unimportant things get in the way of living.
We do not ride upon the railroad; it rides upon us. We are too dependent on technology. (Do you own your phone, or does it own you?)
The Conclusion
The surface of the earth is soft and impressible by the feet of men; and so with the paths which the mind travels. How worn and dusty, then, must be the highways of the world, how deep the ruts of tradition and conformity! He created a literal “rut” or “path” from his door to the pond in only a few weeks. Uses this as a metaphor for the “paths” that people follow in life. It is easy to fall into ruts. Easy to take a path that is already there – much harder to make your own, new path. Non-conformity is hard!!
If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; this is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them… If you big dreams “castles in the air” – good! You should! But work to accomplish them (put the foundations down)
If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away. “March to the beat of your own drummer” Do your own thing and let other people do their own thing.
Things do not change; we change Things do not change; we change. Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts. Things do not change…There will always be a new “thing” that people have to have (IPhone whatever) but the new thing is essentially the same as the old thing and another new thing is just around the corner. Sell your clothes, keep your thoughts… Worry about your mind, not your possessions.
It is life near the bone where it is the sweetest. Near the bone… When everything else is stripped away. Life, when simple, is best.
The light which puts out our eyes is darkness to us The light which puts out our eyes is darkness to us. Only that day dawns to which we are awake. Society / conformity Society “blinds” us – prevents us from seeing our true selves. We must change our perspective.