‘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.’
These words are from Henry David Thoreau's 1854 book 'Walden' or 'Life in the Woods' named after the Walden Woods in which the American writer, transcendentalist, philosopher, abolitionist, naturalist, and historian had built his home nine years previously. The book details Thoreau's experiences over the course of two years, two months, and two days in a cabin he built in woodland owned by his friend and mentor, Ralph Waldo Emerson, near Concord, Massachusetts.
The book was a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings in which Thoreau declared his love of nature, simplicity, and independence. His minimalist lifestyle, he wrote, calmed the mind and provided time for thinking.
Today 'Walden' stands as one of America's most celebrated works of literature and is praised as an American classic that explores natural simplicity, harmony, and beauty. The American poet Robert Frost wrote of Thoreau, "In one book ... he surpasses everything we have had in America".
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Sets the Theme
I use Radical Tea Towels to set a theme for wrapped baskets I donate to church and school auctions. This basket's theme is "Live Deliberately". I selected this towel, children's nature books, a packet of wildflower seeds, and butterfly orchid clips to cellophane wrap in a metal planter topped with a big bow. The towel is quality material and unique, and gives an important message.
