3.06.2008

A Fertile Thought
Thoreau's Journal: 6-Mar-1841

An honest misunderstanding is often the ground of future intercourse.

16 comments:

abigail said...

I really liked this thought, the idea of a simple mistake becoming a new beginning is so intriguing. With life sometimes you never know where your going to end up better yet where you are in the first place. That to me is the beauty of it all; so mistakes will be made some for the better others for the worse. Sometimes the outcome of that mistake is worth the consequences, bad or good.

Southern Belle said...

You never know where life is going to take you. I think that everything happens for a reason. I agree when Abbigail says that the outcome of the mistake is worth the consequences. If the consequence is good, then you won't have a problem. If it is bad, then you'll learn from it.

Ivy Puckett said...

I agree. In almost everything you do you will learn from the mistake you made or the success you have had. Think positively about your mistakes and don't let them put you down because there is always a next time that you will be able to make something better. If you believe in yourself and learn from the things you did wrong this will make you a better person.

Unknown said...

Life can take some surprising turns. Some things happen that can either be good or bad, but I agree with Taylor when she said that everything happens for a reason. When you make a mistake then you will learn from it and it won't happen again in the future.

Peggy said...

You learn from your mistakes. Something happens a way that you didn't want it to, but you learn from it a move on. I think that this is what this quote is saying. I agree with Ivy in saying to believe in yourself and you can grow more from a mistake.

Melissa McClure said...

I like the thought of a mistake becoming a new beginning. A mistake sounds so negative, where as new beginings sound exciting and appealing. Everyone says you should learn from your mistakes. In the outcome of your mistake anything is possible, but I believe that you have a small part in deciding what happens.

ian said...

It is true that a misunderstanding can lead to better things and perhaps a new way of looking at things but there is always a price. In order to gain something you must first lose something it's just a question of if you want to embrace the new "intercourse" or if making the same "misunderstanding" over and over.

Meagan P said...

This quote is my favorite in the way that a people do make mistakes and sometimes, that mistake can start something new for you. Also that when you make a mistake and will learn from what you did wrong and then you will become a better person. Also another thought i had about this quote is you can never expect what can happen.

Unknown said...

I really liked this short and honest thought. I agree with Taylor Adkins when she says "everything happens for a reason". Sometimes it's hard to think positive about something that has gone wrong or a mistake you've made. But in the end things always turn out for the best. You may not feel that they have at that moment, but i think in the end everyone will be able to say they've looked back at their life atleast once and thought that "things did turn out for the best".

matt mercer said...

I also agree with Taylor in the fact that everything happens for a reason, and that we all make mistake and we are bound to get over them. So pretty much we as humans are doomed for faliure but we have the power to get over the failures or mistakes that we make. I guess what Thoreau is saing is that mistakes are inevitable we just have to figure out how to get over them.

Laine said...

I also agree with Taylor. I like the fact that she said "everything happens for a reason" because I do believe this is true. God has plans for each of us, and although we might not like it at the time, we all know that in the end it's what is best for us. God knows us better than anyone.

Barny said...

I think this quote is talking about how when we make honest mistakes they will prepare us for life. It's like everyone has been saying about learning from your mistakes and not makeing them again. I think this is what this quote is trying to say to the reader.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Whitcomb. Mistakes dont just happen, but they happen for a reason. They prepare us for what may happen in the future, and when it comes we will know what to do.

Unknown said...

Failure is a part of life, it is human nature. I think Thoreau is trying to make clear to everyone that making a mistake is a part of life. Everyone messes up and people get over it and move on. Sometimes mistakes can lead to something good in return. As the saying goes, "everything happens for a reason." I strongly agree. Thoreau is saying that new things or "future intercourse," can be the outcome of a mistake!

Kevin said...

I agree with Whitcomb mistakes just do not happen. Someone does something to cause them. However they may happen for a reason. So when one makes a mistake they should learn from it, and move on. They can not be negative about it, but must be positive. Because failure is part of life, and one must learn to deal with it and not let it bring them down.

Unknown said...

I think that this means that if when you make a mistake in life you have to live with it. the consequenses can be either good or bad. but you will learn from it eventually.