Do what you love. Know your own bone; gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it, and gnaw it still.
Henry David Thoreau
Little NibbleSeriously Dive: How to Embrace Your Passion and ThriveDive into your passions headfirst, just like enjoying your favorite snack. Henry David Thoreau’s advice encourages you to do what you love, discover your talents, fully immerse yourself, take breaks when needed, and keep exploring to embrace your passion and thrive.
Table of Contents
Meaning of Quote – Do what you love. Know your own bone; gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it, and gnaw it still.
Henry David Thoreau was a wise man who once said something pretty cool: “Do what you love. Know your own bone; gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it, and gnaw it still.” That’s kind of like saying, when you find something you really love to do, don’t just give it a little nibbleseriously dive into it!
Imagine you’ve got your favorite snack. Maybe it’s a giant chocolate bar, a bag of the crunchiest chips, or even a juicy apple. You wouldn’t just take a tiny bite and leave the rest, right? You’d enjoy every last piece of it. Thoreau is basically telling us to treat the things we love like our favorite snack: don’t let any part of it go to waste.
First things first, “Do what you love.” It sounds simple, but it can be pretty tricky sometimes. We all have things we enjoyplaying video games, dancing, reading books, playing sports, making art, or even solving puzzles. What Thoreau is saying is that these things you love doing shouldnt just be for weekends or after you’ve done your chores and homework. These are important! They’re the things that can make you super excited to get out of bed in the morning.
Now let’s talk about the second part: “Know your own bone.” Imagine you’re a dog, and you find the best bone ever. This is YOUR bone. Other dogs might walk past and not even notice it, but to you, it’s everything. When Thoreau talks about your bone, he’s talking about what makes you, well, YOU. It could be your talent for storytelling, your knack for solving math problems, your ability to make people laugh, or your agility in soccer. Knowing your bone means understanding what you’re naturally good at and what makes you happier than anything else.
But he doesnt stop there. Thoreau tells us to “gnaw at it,” which means to really dig into what you love. If it’s painting, don’t just doodle here and thereget all sorts of paints and brushes and maybe even take a class. If it’s soccer, don’t just kick the ball around casuallypractice as much as you can, join a team, and learn about the greats like Messi or Alex Morgan. Gnawing at it means getting every bit of joy and knowledge out of the thing you love.
Sometimes though, when you’ve been working really hard at something, you might feel a little tired or even a bit bored. That’s totally okay! That’s when Thoreau’s advice to “bury it” comes in. Burying it doesnt mean giving up or throwing it away; it’s like pressing the pause button on your favorite TV show. You might set aside your love for a short time so you can come back to it later with fresh eyes and a recharged heart.
But when you’re readywhen you’ve had a break and you find yourself missing that special thingyou “unearth it.” That’s right, you dig it up again, just like a pirate finding buried treasure. And when you make that magical return, guess what? You’ll be bringing new ideas, a clear head, and that same burst of excitement you had in the beginning.
And still, after all that, you “gnaw at it” some more! That means, even if you’ve become pretty awesome at whatever you love, there’s always more to explore. Think about how every musician, even the most famous ones, keep making new music. Or how scientists, even after making big discoveries, keep asking questions and experimenting. There’s no end to the joy and learning; every time you think you’ve nibbled every last bit, there’s always another layer to savor!
Now, let’s bring it into your world. Say you’re someone who loves stories. You enjoy reading them, writing them, and maybe even acting them out. If you really take Thoreaus words to heart, you won’t just dream about storiesyou’ll write your own every chance you get, join a book club or a drama club, maybe get friends together for a story-telling night. If others tell you that it’s a waste of time, just remember your bone. You know its worth every second because it’s what you love.
By the way, gnawing at your bone this passion of yours might not always be easy. Sometimes you’ll face challenges. Maybe a project doesn’t turn out the way you hoped, or you’re not the fastest runner on the team just yet. When you gnaw at something, you put your heart and hard work into it, even when things are tough.
Remember that every time you practice, explore, or even take a break and come back, you’re growing a bit more. Imagine yourself like a tree, with roots that get stronger and branches that reach higher every time you return to your passion.
So, what should you do with all this advice? Take a look inside and find your boneyour special thing. Are you ready? Then, let’s gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it, and gnaw it still! Keep loving what you do, keep learning and growing, and who knows what amazing places your passions will take you. Thoreau believed it, and you can too. Enjoy the journey, my friend, and savor every bite!
I hope this quote inspired image brings you hope and peace. Share it with someone who needs it today!
