--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I felt a positive yearning toward one…" description: "\"I felt a positive yearning toward one bush this afternoon. There was a match found for me at last. I fell in love with a shrub oak.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b6/henry-david-thoreau-20_afternoon_i-felt-a-positive-yearning-toward-one-bu_219303.jpg" --- # I felt a positive yearning toward one bush this afternoon… ![“I felt a positive yearning toward one bush this afternoon. There was a match found for me at last. I fell in love with a shrub oak.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b6/henry-david-thoreau-20_afternoon_i-felt-a-positive-yearning-toward-one-bu_219303.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b6/henry-david-thoreau-20_afternoon_i-felt-a-positive-yearning-toward-one-bu_219303.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b6/henry-david-thoreau-20_afternoon_i-felt-a-positive-yearning-toward-one-bu_219303.jpg) > “I felt a positive yearning toward one bush this afternoon. There was a match found for me at last. I fell in love with a shrub oak.” [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. A sudden, deep attraction to a simple plant sparked a profound personal connection. **In simple terms:** Found love in a shrub. Key Takeaway Notice unexpected passions. Themes nature attachment discovery Mood contemplative hopeful Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - walking in woods - gardening - creative writing - mindfulness Key Concepts solitude romanticism Questions to Reflect On - What does this shrub symbolize for you? - How can you nurture such moments? A Different Perspective Passion may be fleeting or idealized. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Yearning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yearning/) ## Related quotes > [My intellect as well as my instincts lead me to the conclusion that men have a positive yearning to be good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-rosenfeld/my-intellect-as-well-as-my-instincts-lead-me-to-the-conclusion-that/) Albert Rosenfeld > [It's incredible when women tell me that they've read things that I've said or have been inspired by things that I've done. To hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-winter/it-s-incredible-when-women-tell-me-that-they-ve-read-things-that-i-ve/) [Ariel Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-winter/) > [When I came to the national camp, I wore my pads to get the feel. I started to kick the ball, then stood in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-r-sreejesh/when-i-came-to-the-national-camp-i-wore-my-pads-to-get-the-feel-i/) [P. R. Sreejesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-r-sreejesh/) > [I see in many places little barberry bushes just come up densely in the cow-dung, like young apple trees, the berries having been eaten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-see-in-many-places-little-barberry-bushes-just-come-up-densely-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [It is only necessary that man should start a fence that Nature should carry it on and complete it. The farmer cannot plow quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-is-only-necessary-that-man-should-start-a-fence-that-nature-should/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Every wild apple shrub excites our expectation thus, somewhat as every wild child. It is, perhaps, a prince in disguise. What a lesson to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/every-wild-apple-shrub-excites-our-expectation-thus-somewhat-as-every/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Is not disease the rule of existence? There is not a lily pad floating on the river but has been riddled by insects. Almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/is-not-disease-the-rule-of-existence-there-is-not-a-lily-pad-floating/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [There's nothing perplexing to me about a leafy shrub evolving out of the big bang, but that the post office exists because carbon exploded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-toltz/there-s-nothing-perplexing-to-me-about-a-leafy-shrub-evolving-out-of/) [Steve Toltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-toltz/) > [And then the rose-border. What intensity in those odorous buds of the Bon Silene, making the very spirit bound as though a message had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-smiley/and-then-the-rose-border-what-intensity-in-those-odorous-buds-of-the/) [Sarah Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-smiley/) > [Behold the male beast roaring in the jungle for his mate," said Elphaba. "See how the female beast giggles behind a shrub while she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/behold-the-male-beast-roaring-in-the-jungle-for-his-mate-said-elphaba/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [It is far better to limit our choice to real permanencies, which do not require staking... and a general mixture throughout of dwarf shrubs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-stuart-thomas/it-is-far-better-to-limit-our-choice-to-real-permanencies-which-do/) Graham Stuart Thomas > [She was always puzzled that people say that darkness falls. To her it seemed instead to rise, massing under trees an shrubs, pouring out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-howe/she-was-always-puzzled-that-people-say-that-darkness-falls-to-her-it/) [Katherine Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-howe/) > [If you cut a shrub back because it's just too big, and it dies, you haven't lost anything but a plant that couldn't live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/if-you-cut-a-shrub-back-because-it-s-just-too-big-and-it-dies-you/) [Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/) > [Of all trees, I observe God hath chosen the vine, a low plant that creeps upon the helpful wall; of all beasts, the soft…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-feltham/of-all-trees-i-observe-god-hath-chosen-the-vine-a-low-plant-that/) [Owen Feltham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-feltham/) > [In water and on land, in trees, shrubs, and creepers-everywhere in the whole universe abides my Beloved. Further, all the various forms and modes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anandamayi-ma/in-water-and-on-land-in-trees-shrubs-and-creepers-everywhere-in-the/) [Anandamayi Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anandamayi-ma/) ## 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 Afternoon quotes > [I didn't grow up thinking of movies as film, or art, but as movies, something to do on a Saturday afternoon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-pollack/i-didn-t-grow-up-thinking-of-movies-as-film-or-art-but-as-movies/) [Sydney Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-pollack/) > [My dental hygienist is cute. Every time I visit, I eat a whole package of Oreo cookies while waiting in the lobby. Sometimes she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/my-dental-hygienist-is-cute-every-time-i-visit-i-eat-a-whole-package/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [Honestly, I'm living my fantasy. It's being with my family, preferably on a snowy afternoon with a fire going, cuddled up in blankets, playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-vieira/honestly-i-m-living-my-fantasy-it-s-being-with-my-family-preferably/) [Meredith Vieira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-vieira/) > [It was a very intense and stressful situation. There was playing in the Johnny-pump (an opened fire hydrant) and the ice-cream man coming around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/it-was-a-very-intense-and-stressful-situation-there-was-playing-in/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Sunday afternoon is for papers and writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-haslam/sunday-afternoon-is-for-papers-and-writing/) [Nicholas Haslam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-haslam/) > [I think that if most guys in America could somehow get their fave-rave poster girl in bed and have total license to do whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-bangs/i-think-that-if-most-guys-in-america-could-somehow-get-their-fave/) [Lester Bangs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-bangs/) > [“If you come at four in the afternoon, I'll begin to be happy by three.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-come-at-four-in-the-afternoon-i-ll-begin-to-be-happy-by-three/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [At five in the afternoon. It was exactly five in the afternoon. A boy brought the white sheet at five in the afternoon. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/at-five-in-the-afternoon-it-was-exactly-five-in-the-afternoon-a-boy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The shadows in the early morning don't tell much. The shadows rest at that time. So it's useless to gaze very early in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/the-shadows-in-the-early-morning-don-t-tell-much-the-shadows-rest-at/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [“I discovered windows one afternoon and after that, nothing was ever the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-spollen/i-discovered-windows-one-afternoon-and-after-that-nothing-was-ever/) [Anne Spollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-spollen/) > [Look, science is hard, it has a reputation of being hard, and the facts are, it is hard, and that's the result of 400…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/look-science-is-hard-it-has-a-reputation-of-being-hard-and-the-facts/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [What'll we do with ourselves this afternoon? And the day after that, and the next thirty years?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/what-ll-we-do-with-ourselves-this-afternoon-and-the-day-after-that/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [Imagine you are walking down a leafy path…The sun is receding, and you are walking alone, caressed by the breezy light of the late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/imagine-you-are-walking-down-a-leafy-path-the-sun-is-receding-and-you/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) > [A good umpire is the umpire you don't even notice. 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