Tag Archives: Henry D. Thoreau

#102: “That man is the richest whose pleasures are the cheapest.”

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– Henry D. Thoreau, author and leading transcendentalist

My father Marvin, at the age of 85, is one of the people I most admire. Throughout my life, he always referred to himself as one of the richest men in the world. We lived very modestly in a row house in Philadelphia, and I can never recall him complaining about his life.

He included among his riches:

  • A loving marriage
  • A job as a teacher, coach and counselor, where he got to make a difference
  • A happy family life with three wonderful kids (including me :-))
  • Good health
  • Close and loyal friends
  • A good sense of humor to laugh at life and even at himself

 Exercise:

What are your personal riches that cost you little, yet bring you great wealth?

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“You cannot dream yourself into a character…”

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“You cannot dream yourself into a character, you must hammer and forge yourself into one.”

– James Anthony Froude, English historian

QC #1021a

Image from Flickr by Hans Splinter

We sometimes hope for a quick-fix that will resolve our problems, and dream of how our future lives would look.  If only we could find that magic bullet!

Dreaming is important, as is having a vision. But neither comes to pass without the work it takes to realize our dreams.

The great leaders and people of our time had dreams and shared their visions. To realize those visions, though, they all worked hard, and put in tremendous effort over many years. These people of character have the bumps, bruises and calluses to show for it.

Here is a secret: Find something of extraordinary value and meaning in your life. Pursue something you truly love to do, and you will enjoy the process.

Exercise:

What do you envision and dream about that would be worth a lifetime of hard labor?