Walden Pond

By NigelBlackthorne

 

I had seen his nametag a number of times before in world but circumstances had prevented me from going over and introducing myself.  The other night I was in Caldera to take a look at a paz that was mentioned in forums and I saw thoreau’s nametag in a small grove of trees not far away from where I was.  When I got over to where he was I saw that he was afk and so I dropped a tiki scroll introducing myself and letting him know I had stopped by.

The late great 19^th century author Henry David Thoreau is a cousin of mine in real life and when I saw that someone was using his name I felt drawn to find out more about him.  Henry David Thoreau is probably best known for his book “Walden”, which describes how he built a house on the shore of Walden Pond and spent two years of his life living very simply, absorbed in experiencing the wonders of nature.  His literary works have inspired the likes of Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. and are required reading in many schools.

thoreau wrote me that he once had a pond out in that area and that he was inspired to put it back out.  I revisited his paz and found the pond nestled amongst the trees.  As I stood there I thought about how ironic it was that it took the complexity of thousands of transistors, resistors and other electronic components working over a vast communications network to bring the simplicity of this beautiful little pond to view.

H D Thoreau had advocated living a simple life and that the complications that we introduce into our lives to bring us happiness, frequently have the opposite effect.   It made me think about all the complications of my own life.  This little virtual Walden Pond helped me once again to realize that it is really the very simple things in life that mean the most. 

If you are ever in Caldera and find this little representation of that great New England landmark, stop and appreciate its simple beauty and consider all the wonderful little things in life that bring us the greatest pleasures.