None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.
Henry David ThoreauRead
The squirrel that you kill in jest, dies in earnest.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Actions, even if taken lightly, can have serious consequences.
This quote by Henry David Thoreau emphasizes the idea that what may seem like a trivial act or a joke can have profound and irreversible effects. It serves as a reminder to be mindful of our actions, as they may cause harm or have unintended consequences, regardless of our intentions.
Themes
ActionsConsequencesMindfulnessSquirrelJestEarnest
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech about environmental conservation, one might use this quote to highlight the impact of seemingly small actions on wildlife.
More from Henry David Thoreau
All quotes βThrough want of enterprise and faith men are where they are, buying and selling and spending their lives like servants.
Henry David ThoreauRead
An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.
Henry David ThoreauRead
Have no mean hours, but be grateful for every hour, and accept what it brings. The reality will make any sincere record respectable.
Henry David ThoreauRead
As every season seems best to us in its turn, so the coming in of spring is like the creation of Cosmos out of Chaos and the realization of the Golden Age.
Henry David ThoreauRead
That grand old poem called Winter
Henry David ThoreauRead
Similar quotes
My lectures, based on Islamic teachings, were on various subjects. Some of the titles were, 'The Intoxication of Life,' 'The Purpose of Life,' 'The Real Cause of Man's Distress,' 'The Journey to the Goal in Life,' and, one of my favorites, 'The Heart of Man.' They contained important insights that spoke to something deep inside me.
Muhammad AliRead
Claret is the liquor for boys; port for men; but he who aspires to be a hero must drink brandy.
Samuel JohnsonRead
Learn to see - accustoming the eye to calm, to patience, to letting-things-come-to-it; learning to defer judgment, to encircle and encompass the question on all sides.
Friedrich NietzscheRead
Comparing oneself with one's fellow writers is a bad idea. I would not review a fellow writer unless I had something terribly positive to say.
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Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.
Warren BuffettRead
Every man prefers belief to the exercise of judgment.
Seneca The YoungerRead