I HEARTILY ACCEPT the motto,

I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. He will put some things behind, will pass an invisible boundary; new, universal, and more liberal laws will begin to establish themselves around and within him; or the old laws be expanded, and interpreted in his favor in a more liberal sense, and he will live with the license of a higher order of beings. In proportion as he simplifies his life, the laws of the universe will appear less complex, and solitude will not be solitude, nor poverty poverty, nor weakness weakness. If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.

The above paragraph is from the final chapter of Walden, Conclusion.
I can never tread the path chosen by Thoreau ,at the same time can't help but be mystified by his passion. To adopt his thoughts ,even for a few hours is a delight in itself.

The first few hours succeeding my encounter with Civil Disobedience, were blissfully spent on examining one single man's freedom. Strange as it may seem, more than his beliefs it was his freedom from uncertainty that haunted me. There lived a man who was certain, certain enough to perform an experiment of his life. Even more intriguing is the aspect of conclusion ,he actually understood the ends of his experiment. I would be lying if i said i haven't envied Thoreau for This Freedom!

In my idealistic vision, Thoreau went ahead and found answer to his doubts.His passion had led him to his way as desolate as it might have been, and in the end he had answers. How i wish i can be so sure,not of my beliefs but at least the paths on which i can find them! I do not wish to categorize his character, its his end not mine.A glimpse of his peace would be just fine though :)

I am sure over time i will disagree with Thoreau on various aspects and i am looking forward to that time. For that would mean i have experimented with rules and lived a life of my definition.For that would have meant a moment of freedom!

LINKS
WALDEN
CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE

PS- This whole contemplation was triggered by the wonderful Into the Wild and the song "hard sun"!