Death is beautiful when seen to be a law, and not an accident. It is as common as life

Death is beautiful when seen to be a law, and not an accident. It is as common as life

Henry David Thoreau, the renowned American philosopher and writer, had a unique perspective on death. He believed that death was not something to be feared or avoided, but rather accepted as a natural part of life. In his essay "Walking," Thoreau famously wrote, "Death is beautiful when seen to be a law, and not an accident. It is as common as life."

Thoreau's view of death as a law rather than an accident reflects his belief in the cyclical nature of life and the interconnectedness of all living things. He saw death as a necessary and inevitable part of the natural order, a process that allows for new life to emerge and for the cycle to continue. In this sense, death is not something to be mourned or feared, but rather embraced as a fundamental aspect of existence.

Thoreau's reverence for nature and his deep connection to the natural world informed his perspective on death. He saw death as a part of the larger ecosystem, a process that serves to maintain balance and harmony in the world. Just as plants wither and die in the fall only to be reborn in the spring, so too do humans pass away to make way for new life.

For Thoreau, death was not an end, but a transformation. He believed that the soul lives on beyond the physical body, and that death is simply a transition to a new state of being. In this sense, death is not to be feared, but rather embraced as a natural and necessary part of the journey of life.

Thoreau's words remind us that death is not something to be avoided or denied, but rather accepted and understood as an integral part of the human experience. By seeing death as a law rather than an accident, we can come to appreciate the beauty and inevitability of this universal process.