This world is a place of business. What an infinite bustle! I am awaked almost every night by the panting of the locomotive.(1) It interrupts my dreams. There is no sabbath. It would be glorious to see mankind at leisure for once. It is nothing but work, work, work.
Thoreau, Henry David. Life without Principle. 1863.
Upon my reading, I came across this quote written by one of favorite literary authors, Henry David Thoreau. This morning started as they usually do for me in that it was, honestly, a little intimidating. The light cast through my window, teasingly and with great seduction. Each new day asks politely to be embraced with a new perspective, while also challenging each person it greets to be a better version of themselves than the previous. The experiences that have been presented to me throughout my life have shaped everything, as it does all humanity. Dreams that consume my mind during the darkest of nights give me hope of a better night. One that is not terrifying nor merciless. One that allows for a great love for oneself.
This quote hit close to my heart due to the societal expectations of today. We are expected to look, act and present our best without any regard to how we feel on the inside. Busy streets, hourly meetings, family undertaking and academic rigor are ever present during the 24 hours we are given daily. Society rarely gives a second thought to caring for yourself and self-improvement outside of the workplace.
The human ability to stand back and say, "Today, I am going to do something for me," is incredibly powerful. This is what I have decided to do. I have decided to take each day one at a time and really live the day for me. Working and striving towards a greater goal in life is important. However, you cannot get to that greater goal without first examining where you are and how you feel about yourself. Thoreau had a good point in that taking time for yourself is a luxury. A luxury that should be taken advantage of for a few minutes a day, a few hours a week. With those few hours, a person can open new possibilities, explore new waters and truly live for themselves in happiness.
http://www.egs.edu/library/henry-david-thoreau/quotes/
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