Henry David Thoreau
“Not till we are lost…do we begin to find ourselves…”
Walden (1854), ch. “The Village”
Documented source
Source
Henry David Thoreau, Walden (1854), chapter “The Village”
In full
“Not till we are completely lost, or turned round,—for a man needs only to be turned round once with his eyes shut in this world to be lost,—do we begin to find ourselves, and realize where we are and the infinite extent of our relations.”
Wording
Design uses ellipsis for the fragment; full passage above is the documented source
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About this line
Thoreau means it almost literally: disorientation — in the woods or in a life — is what finally forces you to reckon with where you actually stand. Being lost isn’t the opposite of finding yourself. It’s the start of it.
Why we carry this line
I found this quote resonated with me the minute I read it. I felt others would understand and want to have a reminder close.
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