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Henry David Thoreau

“Not till we are lost…do we begin to find ourselves…”

Walden (1854), chapter “The Village”

Documented source

Attribution
Henry David Thoreau
Source
Walden (1854), chapter “The Village”
Status
Public domain in the United States

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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.