The Beauty Of Living Simply.

Modern life is often characterised by stress, unrealistic expectations, burnout, and a desire to accumulate rather than to simplify, to compare rather than to be content with what we have. It is, to be fair, also characterised by much that has been transformative, such as the ability to connect with people across the globe in a meaningful way. We are also much more aware of what is going on in our world, and theoretically at least, able to respond in more impactful ways.

Yet the call to simplify is often there to be heard by those who The American Henry David Thoreau was nothing if not talented in a plethora of different fields; he made his mark as an author, poet, philosopher, abolitionist, naturalist, tax resister, development critic, surveyor, historian, and leading transcendentalist.

‘Where I Lived and What I Lived For‘ is a delightful account of Thoreau’s largely solitary life and self-sufficient existence in the woods of New England. As a forerunner to the modern environmental movement, Thoreau is a passionate and persuasive advocate for ‘simple living’ lived out in a manner that recognises the inter-connectedness of all life.are inclined to listen to it. In the midst of complexity, there is the yearning for a life that honours our basic needs and provides connection.

‘I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life . . . and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived’.

Thoreau’s call for humanity to abandon endlessly striving, materialistic existences of ‘quiet desperation’ is a relevant today as it has ever been.  His vision of a simple existence contains within it an appreciation of the beauty of nature and a spiritual dimension which is both powerful and compelling.

‘Where I Lived and What I Lived For‘ is accessible to first-time readers of Thoreau and contains many of his ideas that are further developed in later publications.

If you are thinking of simplifying your life, then this is a good place to start, even if you are not particularly sold on the idea of getting back to nature completely! The ideas and philosophy behind them are what matters - it is the task of the individual to apply those precepts to their particular circumstances. For example, getting back to nature as a expression of primitivism may be nigh on impossible, but we can spend more time in nature and in solitude, and still interface with the modern world, at least to some degree.

Whatever route we choose, those haunting words of Thoreau are a prescient reminder that we have to make the most of what we have and not, when we came to die, discover that we had not lived.

Take care,

Scott

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