Nature Journal: Part 1

On September 17th, I started my reading on Henry David Thoreau in Nature Writing. Although I was somewhat familiar with Thoreau and his work, it was not until reading his piece in Nature Writing that I started to develop an understanding of who he was as a writer. As we discussed in class, Thoreau tends to take extreme stances on issues that are important to him. Thoreau had a desire to live deliberately and the only way he saw himself being able to live a life of only essentials was to leave civilization and live in a small cabin in the woods of Walden. Although Thoreau was not the most traditional writer of his time, I find his decision to look for a way to live deliberately fascinating. I often wonder what life would be like today if we only lived off what was necessary. Personally, I am weighted down most by the things I do not need. I find myself getting caught up in the wants of life to the point where I forget to live life deliberately. It is spectacular that the work of an author nearly 175 years ago is still applicable today. Although I do not think we all need to get up and go live in a cabin in the woods, I think there is a lot of value in trying to find a way to live deliberately. We are only on this earth for such a short time and the idea of spending most if not all of it unintentionally makes me sick. Furthermore, I admire that Thoreau was not just searching for a deliberate way to live for himself, he was hoping to pass on what he learned to those around him. Those who argue that his stance is too extreme fail to see the purpose in his message. He is urging each one of us to take advantage of what we have on this earth. He wants each one of us to “live deep and suck the bone marrow out of life.” Although I would agree that his writing is hard to understand at times, the overall message is clear. Thoreau’s decision to take an extreme stance on the topic was simply to help us start the conversation we are having today. Sometimes opening the door is the hardest part and Thoreau slammed it wide open. There are too many people living life without purpose, especially on college campuses. Writers like Thoreau and classes like this help students take that step into living a deliberate life.