None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.
Henry David ThoreauRead
Why should I feel lonely? is not our planet in the Milky Way?
Interpretation
The quote reflects on the idea of connection and belonging, emphasizing that we are part of a larger universe.
Henry David Thoreau questions the feeling of loneliness by reminding us of our place in the vast Milky Way galaxy. This suggests that even in moments of solitude, one can find comfort in the thought that we are part of a larger existence, interconnected with the universe and all its elements, which can alleviate feelings of isolation.
In practice
In a speech about mental health at a community gathering, you might quote Thoreau to highlight the importance of feeling connected to the greater universe.
None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.
Through want of enterprise and faith men are where they are, buying and selling and spending their lives like servants.
An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.
Have no mean hours, but be grateful for every hour, and accept what it brings. The reality will make any sincere record respectable.
As every season seems best to us in its turn, so the coming in of spring is like the creation of Cosmos out of Chaos and the realization of the Golden Age.
That grand old poem called Winter
People call you this or that. But I can't respond because then it seems like I'm defensive, you know, what does it matter, really?
But then, I suppose, when with the benefit of hindsight one begins to search one's past for such 'turning points', one is apt to start seeing them everywhere.
Facts mean little compared to attitudes. To contradict rumor or sentiment is as futile as arguing against a believer's faith in the Immaculate Conception. You have simply become a victim of faith, Comrade Assistant.
The trouble with you and me, is that we don't live in the real world. We dream of fantastic things that may never happen.
It is not funny that anything else should fall down; only that a man should fall down. Why do we laugh? Because it is a gravely religious matter: it is the Fall of Man. Only man can be absurd: for only man can be dignified.
I had been told I was on the road to hell, but I had no idea it was just a mile down the road with a dome on it.
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