“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to is lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion.” ~ Thoreau

When I read this initially, years ago, I thought that living deliberately would mean I had to move into the woods and live off the land like he did.  But, as the years pass, I am realizing that living deliberately means owning today, owning my actions, being responsible for my happiness and relationships in the place I am now.

We live in the middle of a large city with many, many people around us, but decided to live as deliberately and sustainable as we can. Our garden doesn’t produce a lot of food, but it’s more each year and as the fruit trees, berry bushes, and grape vines grow – we have a variety of fruit to enjoy in summer and eventually will preserve to last through the winter.

What I am realizing now – is that living deliberately involves, for me, a reconnecting to dreams that I had a child, and building relationships that will add value to my life. Whatever the situation we are in, in life there is always a chance to stand up and do our best to find happiness and choose the direction we go. Even if it’s one small, deliberate, step each day – the journey will start to the next place.