In this Atlantic reprint of philosopher/author Henry David Thoreau’s essay titled “Walking,” the author muses upon the joy of sauntering while lamenting a sedentary world disconnected from nature. Extolling the art of the saunter, he notes;
No wealth can buy the requisite leisure, freedom, and independence which are the capital in this profession. It comes only by the grace of God. It requires a direct dispensation from Heaven to become a walker. – Thoreau
Thoreau waxes eloquent but his passion may not be for the faint of heart. Read his essay and contemplate it the next time you head for the woods. It may change your life!