--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In what concerns you much, do not think…" description: "\"“In what concerns you much, do not think that you have companions: know that you are alone in the world. ”\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/henry-david-thoreau-20_companion_in-what-concerns-you-much-do-not-think-t_2525666.jpg" --- # In what concerns you much, do not think that you have… ![“In what concerns you much, do not think that you have companions: know that you are alone in the world.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/henry-david-thoreau-20_companion_in-what-concerns-you-much-do-not-think-t_2525666.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/henry-david-thoreau-20_companion_in-what-concerns-you-much-do-not-think-t_2525666.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/henry-david-thoreau-20_companion_in-what-concerns-you-much-do-not-think-t_2525666.jpg) > ““In what concerns you much, do not think that you have companions: know that you are alone in the world. ”” [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. Recognize that personal concerns are solitary; true companionship is rare and inner strength matters. **In simple terms:** You are alone in your struggles. Key Takeaway Embrace self-reliance. Themes solitude self-reliance philosophy Mood reflective serene Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal crisis - creative work - spiritual practice Key Concepts existentialism individualism Questions to Reflect On - How does solitude affect your decisions? - When do you seek community? A Different Perspective Limited by social isolation; may overlook community support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Companion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/companion/) [Companions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/companions/) [Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Whene'er with haggard eyes I view This dungeon that I'm rotting in, I think of those companions true Who studied with me at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-canning/whene-er-with-haggard-eyes-i-view-this-dungeon-that-i-m-rotting-in-i/) [George Canning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-canning/) > [What concerns me alone I only think, what concerns my friends I tell them, what can be of interest to only a limited public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/what-concerns-me-alone-i-only-think-what-concerns-my-friends-i-tell/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [Forget the state concerns -- we think this is bad for churches. Most churches are small and not ready to handle 500 pages of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tanner/forget-the-state-concerns-we-think-this-is-bad-for-churches-most/) Michael Tanner > [I am neither Christian enough nor charitable enough to like anybody just because he is alive and breathing. I want people to interest or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-macdonald/i-am-neither-christian-enough-nor-charitable-enough-to-like-anybody/) [Betty MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-macdonald/) > [Let those be thy choicest companions who have made Christ their chief companion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/let-those-be-thy-choicest-companions-who-have-made-christ-their-chief/) [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) > [“Keep it calm and watch the company you keep. It's either a red card or a green card you are holding. One guides you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/keep-it-calm-and-watch-the-company-you-keep-it-s-either-a-red-card-or/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Having no new companions, nothing remained for him but to read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/having-no-new-companions-nothing-remained-for-him-but-to-read/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [One finds many companions for food and drink, but in a serious business a man's companions are very few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theognis-of-megara/one-finds-many-companions-for-food-and-drink-but-in-a-serious/) [Theognis of Megara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theognis-of-megara/) > [It brings comfort to have companions in whatever happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/it-brings-comfort-to-have-companions-in-whatever-happens/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [Companions the creator seeks, not corpses, not herds and believers. Fellow creators the creator seeks -- those who write new values on new tablets.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/companions-the-creator-seeks-not-corpses-not-herds-and-believers/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“How sad, how strange, we make companions out of air and hurt them, so they will defy us, completing creation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/how-sad-how-strange-we-make-companions-out-of-air-and-hurt-them-so/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“The rise or fall, success or failure of your dreams is largely dependent on the association you build yourself around.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/the-rise-or-fall-success-or-failure-of-your-dreams-is-largely/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [The burning soul, the burden'd mind, In books alone companions find.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-josepha-hale/the-burning-soul-the-burden-d-mind-in-books-alone-companions-find/) [Sarah Josepha Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-josepha-hale/) > [“Some of our friends are our friends only because we used to be friends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-of-our-friends-are-our-friends-only-because-we-used-to-be-friends/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [True, the fragile bodies of his fellows do not weigh down his plane; true, the fretful minds of weaker men are missing from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/true-the-fragile-bodies-of-his-fellows-do-not-weigh-down-his-plane/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) ## 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 Companion quotes > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-cannot-speak-but-he-judges-himself-with-his-will-or-against-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [One must accept the fact that we have only one companion in this world, a companion who accompanies us from the cradle to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/one-must-accept-the-fact-that-we-have-only-one-companion-in-this/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [One of the most powerful concepts, one which is a sure cure for lack of confidence, is the thought that God is with you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/one-of-the-most-powerful-concepts-one-which-is-a-sure-cure-for-lack/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I am simply looking for a companion with whom to spend my days, a companion who will cherish as much as I the stupidity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/i-am-simply-looking-for-a-companion-with-whom-to-spend-my-days-a/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [I and my companions suffer from a disease of the heart which can be cured only with gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-and-my-companions-suffer-from-a-disease-of-the-heart-which-can-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The adult who puts his arm around his companion in the ballroom, and the child in the roadway, skipping in a round dance -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-sachs/the-adult-who-puts-his-arm-around-his-companion-in-the-ballroom-and/) [Curt Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-sachs/) > [True, the fragile bodies of his fellows do not weigh down his plane; true, the fretful minds of weaker men are missing from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/true-the-fragile-bodies-of-his-fellows-do-not-weigh-down-his-plane/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) > [God is our portion, Christ our companion, the Spirit our Comforter, Earth our lodge, and Heaven is our home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/god-is-our-portion-christ-our-companion-the-spirit-our-comforter/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [The thing that counts most in the pursuit of happiness is choosing the right companion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate/the-thing-that-counts-most-in-the-pursuit-of-happiness-is-choosing/) [Nate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate/) > [“Some of our friends are our friends only because we used to be friends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-of-our-friends-are-our-friends-only-because-we-used-to-be-friends/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I am a frayed and nibbled survivor in a fallen world, and I am getting along. I am aging and eaten and have done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/i-am-a-frayed-and-nibbled-survivor-in-a-fallen-world-and-i-am-getting/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [ \[A cat\] will make itself the companion of your hours of work, of loneliness, or of sadness. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theophile-gautier/a-cat-will-make-itself-the-companion-of-your-hours-of-work-of/) [Theophile Gautier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theophile-gautier/) > [Those who grieve frequently find themselves alone. Missed is the laughter of children, the commotion of teenagers, and the tender, loving concern of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/those-who-grieve-frequently-find-themselves-alone-missed-is-the/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) > [Plato calls complacency the companion of loneliness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-grillparzer/plato-calls-complacency-the-companion-of-loneliness/) [Franz Grillparzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-grillparzer/) > [The burning soul, the burden'd mind, In books alone companions find.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-josepha-hale/the-burning-soul-the-burden-d-mind-in-books-alone-companions-find/) [Sarah Josepha Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-josepha-hale/) [Browse all 1,106 Companion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/companion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In what concerns you much, do not think that you have companions: know that you are alone in the world. ”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-what-concerns-you-much-do-not-think-that-you-have-companions-know/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Companion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-what-concerns-you-much-do-not-think-that-you-have-companions-know/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/henry-david-thoreau-20_companion_in-what-concerns-you-much-do-not-think-t_2525666.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/henry-david-thoreau-20_companion_in-what-concerns-you-much-do-not-think-t_2525666.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/henry-david-thoreau-20_companion_in-what-concerns-you-much-do-not-think-t_2525666.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In what concerns you much, do not think that you have companions: know that you are alone in the world.” — 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": "“In what concerns you much, do...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-what-concerns-you-much-do-not-think-that-you-have-companions-know/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-what-concerns-you-much-do-not-think-that-you-have-companions-know/#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 } } ] } ```