Romanticism Blog Post-2.

" To be awake is to be alive, i have never yet met a man who was quite awake"

Looking at this first thought taken from Thoreau's life i think he wouldn't be proud of how society tells us to live our life. I know this because in his poem his lines come alive with you. He is romantic and writes with feeling. You can feel that feeling in everything he does, even until this day. With all the social media hype, lots of people live their life living in cyber space. The only way i feel we will BE truly awake is when we stop caring and start living. I think Thoreau would be proud of my life recently. Recently i have been trying to be on social media less. I don't feel alive just looking at other people's life. That only makes you wish your life was better. If you were truly awake (like i'm becoming) you would see that life is great. Life is what you make of it. There is so much you can do in your spare time. Say you have 15 minutes free, well instead of social media stalking someone, read some literature or ride a bike. It may only take 15 minutes to change your life or even a second. What decisions you make in a split second change your life forever. So don't waste your opportunity to have life changing moments on social media.

"Every man is tasked to make his life, even in its details, worthy of the contemplation of his most  elevated and critical hour. . . ."

This phrase got me thinking. What is in the very details of my life? I have noticed that school, and my education is really my number one priority so that would be taking up most of my life details. It is for a worthy cause and can only improve my way of living. If my life was going to be forced to be completed after tomorrow, i don't think Thoreau or me would be impressed. I realize each moment is important, but i also notice a lot of time i have wasted. I feel like i'm finally starting to notice and accomplish things. There is nothing stopping you from reaching your full potential, only your own self. It is your thoughts and mind that stops you. I think Thoreau didn't let his mind stop him, that's why he could achieve so much. I want to be to the point of not letting my mind stop me. One instance i can think of when i let my mind stop me is in the piano. I think "Oh, i can't play that it is too hard.". I now understand what people are saying when they tell you to think positive. The Ora of positive thoughts and energy is what helps you achieve in this world. As soon as i relaxed and had the mindset that i'm the best concert pianist ever-it became easy to me.

".. and our best virtue has for its occasion a superfluous and inevitable wretchedness"

Sometimes our strength in life can also be our weakness. I think Thoreau would agree with this. I can think of a particular good instance in my life. My best friend is 16. She is sure blessed and cursed. She has thick long beautiful hair that is so long. She is very thin and has an athletic body. In this case her good looks are her curse. I have seen lots of guys go after her and not for the best reasons. Dating and stuff comes easier to her. I don't think it is worth it. I am glad i wasn't blessed with long thick hair. I think it would defiantly be a weakness to me. I think my strength is my virtue i have. I like to stand for good values, and be encouraging to people, i like to always lend an ear. ( This may be something my best friend is lacking a little bit, but it's okay cause she is a teenager and we even each other out) I think in this case it can prove as my weakness because I am always the come to girl, when one needs it. Not necessarily the first priority. The fact that i can recognize this in my own life is an accomplishment. I know its my blessing not my curse, like many other things. I think Thoreau wold be impressed by the fact that i can recognize that.



"Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand;"

In my own life i like to keep myself as busy as possible. I don't think Thoreau wold agree. I add as much on my plate as possible. He has the philosophy of do one or two things and do them well. Instead of a lot half way. I feel that when i'm involved and doing lots of things, i do them all to the best of my ability. I can see where Thoreau is coming from though, if i would have done only a few activities i could put more time into it. Not necessarily do things better, but give myself a personal connection and memory to it.

I think part of Thoreau philosophy is to create memories and connections. As many as you can, we were put here on earth for life. We were given test and trials to enjoy. To meet the people that are supposed to help us a long the way.

Don't complicate life or worry. It just adds problems and un-needed stress. When you complicate life you make it not worth living. You loose experiences from people that were  placed there for you to learn from. A personal connection i make, takes me back to high school. I moved here and met some great new girls. We all could have been really good friends. But, we were teenagers and crossed each other the wrong way. I went through high school with this little hatred for them. It wasn't until college that i learned to forgive them and could see how wonderful of people they were all along. I was just looking at their one fault, amongst many great attributes. The things i used to create drama over in high school, was such a waste of time. It was a learning experience, but not worth the fight now. I missed out on some great memories and stronger friendships.

"The nation itself, with all its so called internal improvements, which, by the way, are all external and superficial, is just such an unwieldy and overgrown establishment, cluttered with furniture and tripped up by its own traps, ruined by luxury and heedless expense, by want of calculation and a worthy aim, . . . It lives too fast."

"We do not ride on the railroad; it rides upon us. . . ".

There are certain things in life we are forced to do but they are not all bad things. They can help our general improvement  It may not be fun building the railroad all the time but it certainly isn't a bad thing. It is just what we need to do in life to achieve something grater and better. The only way we get there is going  through the hard stuff. God already knows are choices and has foreordained us for life and accomplishments on this earth. It is our will to go and find these choices and make him and ourselves proud. I think Thoreau would agree!

Why should we live with such hurry and waste of life?   


A common quote i like that i think fits well in this setting is. " Love who you are, who you are becoming, and who you will become. " Work as if you don't need the money. Love as if you've never been hurt. Sing as if no one is listening. Dance as if no one is watching." We can't limit or shorten our time here on earth. We need to do and fulfill much. Behind what we do there needs to be purpose and reasoning.


* The quotes above my statement are the main reason why i think Thoreau would agree, because he states it in his writing with such passion that can only be obtained from the living of it.