Henry David Thoreau

One farmer says to me, ‘You cannot live on vegetable food solely, for it furnishes nothing to make bones with;’ and so he religiously devotes a part of his day to supplying his system with the raw material of bones; walking all the while he talks behind his oxen, which, with vegetable-made bones, jerk him and his lumbering plow along in spite of every obstacle.

To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts.

If we were left solely to the wordy wit of legislators in Congress for our guidance, uncorrected by the seasonal experience and the effectual complaints of the people, America would not long retain her rank among the nations.

Must be out-of-doors enough to get experience of wholesome reality, as a ballast to thought and sentiment. Health requires this relaxation, this aimless life.

We need only travel enough to give our intellects an airing.

We hate the kindness which we understand.

Who you are speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you’re saying.

If you learn to practice love, compassion, joy, and equanimity, you will know how to heal the illnesses of anger, sorrow, insecurity, sadness, hatred, loneliness, and unhealthy attachments.

Truth often suffers more by the heat of its defenders than the arguments of its opposers.

The best place to find God is in a garden. You can dig for him there.

My books are water; those of the great geniuses is wine. Everybody drinks water.

Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible.

Some people wave their dogmatic thinking until their own reason is entangled.

What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined – to strengthen each other – to be at one with each other in silent unspeakable memories.

How much of human life is lost in waiting.

I think I should have no other mortal wants, if I could always have plenty of music. It seems to infuse strength into my limbs and ideas into my brain. Life seems to go on without effort, when I am filled with music.

If men be good, government cannot be bad.

Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.

Have the fearless attitude of a hero and the loving heart of a child.

Strivers achieve what dreamers believe.

Plenty of times I wanted to haul off when somebody insulted me for the color of my skin, but I had to hold to myself. I knew I was kind of an experiment. The whole thing was bigger than me.