--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As I stand over the insect crawling amid…" description: "\"As I stand over the insect crawling amid the pine needles on the forest floor, and endeavoring to conceal itself from my sight, and ask myself why it w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/henry-david-thoreau-20_asks_as-i-stand-over-the-insect-crawling-amid_706066.jpg" --- # As I stand over the insect crawling amid the pine needles… ![“As I stand over the insect crawling amid the pine needles on the forest floor, and endeavoring to conceal itself from my sight, and ask myself why it will cherish those humble thoughts, and hide its head from me who might, perhaps, be its benefactor, and impart to its race some cheering…” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/henry-david-thoreau-20_asks_as-i-stand-over-the-insect-crawling-amid_706066.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/henry-david-thoreau-20_asks_as-i-stand-over-the-insect-crawling-amid_706066.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/henry-david-thoreau-20_asks_as-i-stand-over-the-insect-crawling-amid_706066.jpg) > “As I stand over the insect crawling amid the pine needles on the forest floor, and endeavoring to conceal itself from my sight, and ask myself why it will cherish those humble thoughts, and hide its head from me who might, perhaps, be its benefactor, and impart to its race some cheering information, I am reminded of the greater Benefactor and Intelligence that stands over me the human insect.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Observing a tiny insect reminds us of humanity’s smallness and the greater intelligence guiding all life. **In simple terms:** The insect shows our humility before a higher intelligence. Key Takeaway Cultivate humility and wonder. Themes nature humility intelligence reflection interconnectedness Mood contemplative inspirational Type philosophical environmental When to use this quote - forest walks - environmental education - personal reflection - creative writing Key Concepts philosophy ecology spirituality Questions to Reflect On - What does the insect teach you about your place? - How can humility improve your relationship with nature? A Different Perspective Human-centered perspectives may overlook ecological complexity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/) [Benefactors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefactors/) [Cheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cheer/) [Cherish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cherish/) [Crawling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crawling/) [Crawling Amid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crawling-amid-5578715/) [Forests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forests/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Greater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greater/) [Human Insect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-insect-1154083/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Humble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humble/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Impart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impart/) [Information](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/information/) [Insect Crawling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insect-crawling-5578714/) [Insects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insects/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Needles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needles/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Sight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sight/) [Stand Insect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stand-insect-5578716/) ## Related quotes > [He has been positively growing tusks trying to create a breed of human insect which will continue to live on this accursed planet. Everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-aylett/he-has-been-positively-growing-tusks-trying-to-create-a-breed-of/) [Steve Aylett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-aylett/) > [As far as our noblest hardwood forests are concerned, the animals, especially squirrels and jays, are our greatest and almost only benefactors. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-far-as-our-noblest-hardwood-forests-are-concerned-the-animals/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [All sound heard at the greatest possible distance produces one and the same effect, a vibration of the universal lyre, just as the intervening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-sound-heard-at-the-greatest-possible-distance-produces-one-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [We should impart our courage and not our despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/we-should-impart-our-courage-and-not-our-despair/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The philanthropist too often surrounds mankind with the remembrance of his own cast- off griefs as an atmosphere, and calls it sympathy. We should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-philanthropist-too-often-surrounds-mankind-with-the-remembrance/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I account the office of benefactor, or almoner, to which God appoints all those whom he has favored with wealth, one of the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-holland/i-account-the-office-of-benefactor-or-almoner-to-which-god-appoints/) [J. G. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-holland/) > [People hired by government know who is their benefactor. People who lose their jobs or fail to get them because of the government program…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/people-hired-by-government-know-who-is-their-benefactor-people-who/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [He is a benefactor of mankind who contracts the great rules of life into the short sentences, that may be easily impressed on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/he-is-a-benefactor-of-mankind-who-contracts-the-great-rules-of-life/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Throughout my life, my greatest benefactors have been my dreams and my travels; very few men, living or dead, have helped me in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/throughout-my-life-my-greatest-benefactors-have-been-my-dreams-and-my/) [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) > [When men receive favours from someone they expected to do them ill, they are under a greater obligation to their benefactor...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/when-men-receive-favours-from-someone-they-expected-to-do-them-ill/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Brothers, the white people are like poisonous serpents: when chilled they are feeble and harmless, but invigorate them with warmth and they sting their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/brothers-the-white-people-are-like-poisonous-serpents-when-chilled/) [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) > [Would movie moguls release a film portraying Adolph Hitler as a great benefactor of the Jews? Hardly. Would they release a movie if the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-wildmon/would-movie-moguls-release-a-film-portraying-adolph-hitler-as-a-great/) [Donald Wildmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-wildmon/) > [Nordenson describes wrestling with work as with a large force that wants to have its way with you, even as you want to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luci-shaw/nordenson-describes-wrestling-with-work-as-with-a-large-force-that/) [Luci Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luci-shaw/) > [Being human, we would expel from our lives physical pain and mental anguish and assure ourselves of continual ease and comfort, but if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/being-human-we-would-expel-from-our-lives-physical-pain-and-mental/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [I happen to have the benefit of having a son-in-law who was the former Mr. France and a trainer. I like being his benefactor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-somers/i-happen-to-have-the-benefit-of-having-a-son-in-law-who-was-the/) [Suzanne Somers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-somers/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Asks quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/) [Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [There is nothing more I ask of this life than this moment, exactly so. And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) [Browse all 7,138 Asks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As I stand over the insect crawling amid the pine needles on the forest floor, and endeavoring to conceal itself from my sight, and ask myself why it will cherish those humble thoughts, and hide its head from me who might, perhaps, be its benefactor, and impart to its race some cheering information, I am reminded of the greater Benefactor and Intelligence that stands over me the human insect.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-i-stand-over-the-insect-crawling-amid-the-pine-needles-on-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Asks" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-i-stand-over-the-insect-crawling-amid-the-pine-needles-on-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/henry-david-thoreau-20_asks_as-i-stand-over-the-insect-crawling-amid_706066.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/henry-david-thoreau-20_asks_as-i-stand-over-the-insect-crawling-amid_706066.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/henry-david-thoreau-20_asks_as-i-stand-over-the-insect-crawling-amid_706066.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As I stand over the insect crawling amid the pine needles on the forest floor, and endeavoring to conceal…” — Henry David Thoreau", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Henry David Thoreau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As I stand over the insect...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-i-stand-over-the-insect-crawling-amid-the-pine-needles-on-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-i-stand-over-the-insect-crawling-amid-the-pine-needles-on-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```