Into The Woods...

"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..." ~Henry David Thoreau, 1854

This photo was taken at Factory Pond...which is located near my home...and is of my wonderful boyfriend Dan...(who, incidentally, did not want to be photographed. I think that it definitely added to the overall mood of the shot in a positive way...)

Immediately upon uploading it, my mind ventured back in time to my seventh grade lessons on Henry David Thoreau - an avid naturalist, historian, philosopher, and most importantly...a transcendentalist. I pictured him alone, segregated from human kind, and merging with the wilderness in solidarity. Living in that tiny wooden cabin (which I have visited), and forced to lead a solitary life and rely on himself solely and fully. Actually, "forced" isnt really the correct term, he more or less "chose" the overall situation. He believed that by doing this, he would learn a great deal about himself, others, and the world that surrounds us...he believed that simplicity was the key to life.

I dont believe that I could have the strength and self awareness to be able to do such a thing. Being alone and unattached from the world for any length of time would surely drive me insane. I cant imagine taking everything that I own, and throwing it away (as materialistic as it sounds). I cant imagine not having a computer, or a television, or being able to converse with others. Not getting the joy of picking out a stylish outfit to wear, and choosing the perfect makeup. Our society has evolved in such a way that we believe that we NEED these things to survive. We need microwaves, and hairdryers, and toasters, and telephones...I know that I certainly feel that way.

I wonder if Mr. Thoreau would have had the strength to do the same thing, had he been born in my materialistic time period.

Probably so...

Kudos to a fellow resident of Massachusetts.

Note: I am currently typing on a computer, listening to my iPod, while talking with a friend, drinking a bottled water, looking at my blackberry, in a university cafeteria, with microwaves, sitting on a comfy chair, with a cute blue purse that my mother gave me, too much makeup to count, a snack that I bought from a machine, and wearing a very stylish outfit.

Perhaps I should opt for...

Reading a book, listening to the beautiful sounds of nature, talking to the birds, drinking water from a stream, looking at the dense forest, sitting on a log, with a simple bag for necessities of life, no makeup, food that I gathered from the Earth, and wearing the same simple clothes that I had on the day before...

Ehhhhh...I'll stick to what I know...