What does it mean to ‘live deliberately’? It is the realisation that there is a difference between truly living and merely existing, and thus choosing to take control of your own life in order to ensure a sense of fulfilment. It is a hunger to live a life that exceeds the societal barriers which force people into complacency and monotony. It is a question we all ask ourselves in one way or another, stemming from a universal fear of the uncertainty that comes with death. Thoreau comments on the passivity of human existence, urging us to seek purpose in our lives and live life with intent. He reflects on his decision to embark on a journey within the woods as he seeks to live a life away from materialism, distancing himself from an indifferent society in order to establish spiritual enlightenment as he believes this will bring him ‘purpose’.
Thoreau’s essay ‘Walden’, or ‘Life in the Woods’ profoundly intrigued me and was strangely relevant to me during this time in my life as I too have been pondering on such existential ideas. I have questioned the meaning of life countless times; and whether or not I’m even doing it right as if there is a correct way to live. You do not truly acknowledge the frailty of life until it is almost taken away from you. When encountering a near-death experience, at first you are shocked and overwhelmed at how short life really is. Next, you find the motivation to grasp onto the aspects of life that you enjoy and focus only on them; this is what I believe Thoreau means by “front only the essential facts of life”. Recently, my mum and I were in a frightful car accident and because of this Thoreau’s intention behind writing this essay genuinely resonates with me as he highlights the importance of truly engaging with life rather than simply going through the motions as one day there will be an end. The line which resonated with me the most after enduring such an experience was, “when I came to die, discover that I had not lived”. An underlying tone of regret is present to me in this particular quote, perhaps Thoreau had a similar epiphany to me and realised the changes he must make in order to ensure that when his life ends, it will have been one that he was proud to have lived. This thought provoked me to reconsider my own awareness of my intent to live deliberately, and I encourage you to do the same.
Literature with Anna 
I really like the way in which you have encapsulated what Thoreau means to ‘live deliberately’. I particularly agree with your idea that to live deliberately is to have a ‘hunger to live a life that exceeds societal barriers.’ I think that we are constantly restricting the way in which we live due to societal barriers and this has consequences on our personal growth as human beings; one day it could all end and I don’t think we should be left with the lingering question of whether or not we have grown as much as we possibly can; doubting our own lives. I think you have perfectly encapsulated this by relating it with your real-life experience. Your experience has made me consider my own and what I could be doing to live life with more intent as things happen (like what you unfortunately went through) at any moment of any day. I also like how you have related quotes to your own experience but maybe a little more textual unpacking of these quotes next time could really add to your critical analysis!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is a wonderful response to Thoreau Anna. You are right, it takes a real shock to wake us up to the fundamental issues of living. You have written this beautifully with feeling and accuracy.
When possible try to include some visual component in your blog.
MG
LikeLiked by 1 person
Anna, may I just begin by saying what a powerful blog you have written.
From your very first line, you had the reader hooked as you ask them to ponder what it means to live deliberately. I also liked your response to this question, it was thoughtful and emotional. I could tell before I read about your car accident that you were someone who had endured a traumatic experience that allowed you to truly appreciate what it means to be alive.
You incorporate the content we have learnt in class really well, and demonstrate a thorough knowledge of Thoreau and his ideas. I enjoyed reading your analysis on the line “when I came to die, discover that I had not lived” and I wholeheartedly agree with your interpretation.
I like how you speak about pondering existential ideas such as, “questioning the meaning of life” and “whether or not [you’re] even doing it right as if there is a correct way to live.” You connect well with your audience here as these are universal thoughts that every individual stumbles across at some point or another.
The line “You do not truly acknowledge the frailty of life until it is almost taken away from you” was a very frightening but captivating line and I thank you for sharing this scary journey with me. It allowed me to realise just how quickly life can be taken away and how you must cherish being alive every moment you have.
To conclude your blog, you encourage your audience to live a life they are proud of and I think this is a really lovely sentiment to end with.
Well done Anna!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great choice for your best blog Anna!
MG
Editing Needed (and some workshop follow-ups- see Purdue Owl for help: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/1/
* countless times; and whether or not I’m even doing it right = punctuation not appropriate here [; is not appropriate here- it is usually a replacement for a full-stop when two sentences are closely linked in meaning. So it is a bit like putting a brick in the middle of a sentence and shouldn’t replace the more mild comma!
for further details on Semi-colons see
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/607/04/ ]
LikeLike