“I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” “In proportion as he simplifies his life, the laws of the universe will appear less complex, and solitude will not be solitude, nor poverty poverty, nor weakness weakness. If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.” (Walden, 351-352)

This passage resonates with the themes of many modern day motivational speeches. Nonetheless, I think that this thought is pretty inspiring and exemplifies the emotions that I would expect Thoreau to have after spending so long at Walden Pond. This passage ties back to the concept of getting of the beaten path. Thoreau went to Walden pond to live differently then the commoner. He went to find the meaning of his own life and learned that his solitude wasn’t actually solitude. He developed new values and learned that life should be experienced from moment to moment, savoring some story from every second. In the conclusion, Thoreau sounds like a new man with a refreshed sense of life, a sense that he wishes to share with the rest of the world.