I want to live deliberately . . .

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan- like as to put to rout all that was not life..." Henry David Thoreau

 Yesterday my son posted part of this quote on my Facebook page, stirring two passions that we both share - a love of great quotes and our passion for the outdoors. Thoreau's comments reflect the feelings and passions of many. His two years, two months and two days he spent at Walden's Pond was recorded in his journal - Walden. His reflections resonate with many concerning flawed social structures, nature and living simply.

Each year my heart yearns more and more for the simple existence. I am not sure if it is the result of years of mission work and watching most of the world struggle for their daily existence, or my deep love and passion for the beauty and splendor nature. I only know that I could be perfectly content with a small cabin, a dependable rifle and a fishing rod.

When I think of heaven, I imagine a small strip of land near a lake, or overlooking a magnificent valley; a place where there is plenty of wildlife to hunt and fish, and Dog (yes, that's his name) is sitting on the front porch sleeping contently. No phones, no internet, no HDTV, just the sounds of hoot owls in the morning and the chirp of crickets at night.  God paints the palette of the evening sky with orange, purple, golds and blues and the morning frost covers the ground like powdered sugar.

So, like Thoreau - "I want to live diliberately."