---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The walking of which I speak has nothing…"
description: "\"“The walking of which I speak has nothing in it akin to taking exercise, as it is called, as the sick take medicine at stated hours …but it is itself t..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfb/henry-david-thoreau-20_adventure_the-walking-of-which-i-speak-has-nothing_402616.jpg"
---

#  The walking of which I speak has nothing in it akin to…

![“The walking of which I speak has nothing in it akin to taking exercise, as it is called, as the sick take medicine at stated hours …but it is itself the enterprise and adventure of the day.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfb/henry-david-thoreau-20_adventure_the-walking-of-which-i-speak-has-nothing_402616.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfb/henry-david-thoreau-20_adventure_the-walking-of-which-i-speak-has-nothing_402616.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfb/henry-david-thoreau-20_adventure_the-walking-of-which-i-speak-has-nothing_402616.jpg)

> ““The walking of which I speak has nothing in it akin to taking exercise, as it is called, as the sick take medicine at stated hours …but it is itself the enterprise and adventure of the day.””

[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.

Walking is a purposeful, adventurous activity, not merely exercise, akin to taking prescribed medicine.

**In simple terms:** Walking is purposeful adventure.

Key Takeaway

Embrace walking as daily practice.

Themes

nature mindfulness exercise

Mood

contemplative motivational

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- daily walks
- nature immersion
- stress relief
- creative thinking

Key Concepts

Philosophy well‑being

Questions to Reflect On

- What does walking bring to your day?
- How can you integrate purposeful movement?

A Different Perspective

May be impractical for those with limited mobility.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Adventure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adventure/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Enterprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enterprise/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine/)

## Related quotes

> [“The heart is a muscle like any other and the best exercise you can do for it is called picking yourself up off the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pleasefindthis/the-heart-is-a-muscle-like-any-other-and-the-best-exercise-you-can-do/)

pleasefindthis

> [“Law and order are the medicine of the politic body and when the politic body gets sick, medicine must be administered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhimrao-ramji-ambedkar/law-and-order-are-the-medicine-of-the-politic-body-and-when-the/)

[Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhimrao-ramji-ambedkar/)

> [Every animal has itsself own doctor, when the sick,whom medicine to take know him very well, he tries to find that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/every-animal-has-itsself-own-doctor-when-the-sick-whom-medicine-to/)

Mak\_786

> [Law and order are the medicine of the body politic and when the body politic gets sick, medicine must be administered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-r-ambedkar/law-and-order-are-the-medicine-of-the-body-politic-and-when-the-body/)

[B. R. Ambedkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-r-ambedkar/)

> [ If you can see them \[the terrorists\] as a relative who's dangerously sick and we have to give them medicine and the medicine is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-gere/if-you-can-see-them-the-terrorists-as-a-relative-who-s-dangerously/)

[Richard Gere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-gere/)

> [“He was sick, sick from the long dangerous trip he had taken, sick from all the medicine —the pills, the inoculations, the inhaled gases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-tevis/he-was-sick-sick-from-the-long-dangerous-trip-he-had-taken-sick-from/)

[Walter Tevis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-tevis/)

> [When we walk, we naturally go to the fields and woods: what would become of us, if we walked only in a garden or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-we-walk-we-naturally-go-to-the-fields-and-woods-what-would/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [I, who cannot stay in my chamber for a single day without acquiring some rust,... confess that I am astonished at the power of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-who-cannot-stay-in-my-chamber-for-a-single-day-without-acquiring-2/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [It requires a direct dispensation from Heaven to become a walker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-requires-a-direct-dispensation-from-heaven-to-become-a-walker/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [I am alarmed when it happens that I have walked a mile into the woods bodily, without getting there in spirit. In my afternoon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-alarmed-when-it-happens-that-i-have-walked-a-mile-into-the-woods/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“Some, however, would derive the word from sans terre, without land or a home, which, therefore, in the good sense, will mean, having no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/some-however-would-derive-the-word-from-sans-terre-without-land-or-a/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [I, who cannot stay in my chamber for a single day without acquiring some rust, and when sometimes I have stolen forth for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-who-cannot-stay-in-my-chamber-for-a-single-day-without-acquiring/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Every walk is a sort of crusade, preached by some Peter the Hermit in us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/every-walk-is-a-sort-of-crusade-preached-by-some-peter-the-hermit-in/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [I think that I cannot preserve my health and spirits, unless I spend four hours a day at least - and it is commonly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-think-that-i-cannot-preserve-my-health-and-spirits-unless-i-spend/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Of course it is of no use to direct our steps to the woods, if they do not carry us thither. I am alarmed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/of-course-it-is-of-no-use-to-direct-our-steps-to-the-woods-if-they-do/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

## 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 Adventure quotes

> [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/)

[Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

> [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. What it means to me is completely different to everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/i-painted-the-words-great-adventure-in-beijing-dallas-san-francisco/)

[Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/)

> [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/)

[Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/)

> [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/)

[Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/)

> [I am attracted to looking at the different things language can mean even in one sometimes quite ordinary utterance. Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/)

[Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/)

> [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/)

Jessica Yu

> [“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-supertramp-chris-mccandless/so-many-people-live-within-unhappy-circumstances-and-yet-will-not/)

Alexander Supertramp Chris McCandless

> [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/)

[Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/)

> [“Exactly. I think the original tantric Buddhists took notice of was some very wise old people who never studied in their youth, but took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-niemczura/exactly-i-think-the-original-tantric-buddhists-took-notice-of-was/)

[Joe Niemczura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-niemczura/)

> [As an adventurer...I try to protect against the downside. I make sure I have covered as many eventualities as I can. In the end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/as-an-adventurer-i-try-to-protect-against-the-downside-i-make-sure-i/)

[Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/)

> [“Love can give you such happiness, then can break the very heart it filled, leaving a hole that can never be fixed or protected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mcleod/love-can-give-you-such-happiness-then-can-break-the-very-heart-it/)

Kevin McLeod

> [“It always gave Wolf a peculiar thrill thus to tighten his grip upon his stick, thus to wrap himself more closely in his faded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cowper-powys/it-always-gave-wolf-a-peculiar-thrill-thus-to-tighten-his-grip-upon/)

[John Cowper Powys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cowper-powys/)

> [“It all had to be squeezed and squeezed again, to provide a thrill, to provide enjoyment. What did people mean, with their simply determined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence-2/it-all-had-to-be-squeezed-and-squeezed-again-to-provide-a-thrill-to/)

[D.H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence-2/)

> [I am not an adventurous person but I am gutsy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-vaidya/i-am-not-an-adventurous-person-but-i-am-gutsy/)

[Rahul Vaidya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-vaidya/)

> [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/)

[James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/)

[Browse all 7,690 Adventure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adventure/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“The walking of which I speak has nothing in it akin to taking exercise, as it is called, as the sick take medicine at stated hours …but it is itself the enterprise and adventure of the day.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Henry David Thoreau"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-walking-of-which-i-speak-has-nothing-in-it-akin-to-taking/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Adventure"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-walking-of-which-i-speak-has-nothing-in-it-akin-to-taking/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfb/henry-david-thoreau-20_adventure_the-walking-of-which-i-speak-has-nothing_402616.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfb/henry-david-thoreau-20_adventure_the-walking-of-which-i-speak-has-nothing_402616.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfb/henry-david-thoreau-20_adventure_the-walking-of-which-i-speak-has-nothing_402616.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The walking of which I speak has nothing in it akin to taking exercise, as it is called, as the sick take…” — 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": "“The walking of which I speak...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-walking-of-which-i-speak-has-nothing-in-it-akin-to-taking/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-walking-of-which-i-speak-has-nothing-in-it-akin-to-taking/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
