--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There were times when I could not afford…" description: "\"“There were times when I could not afford to sacrifice the bloom of the present moment to any work, whether of the head or hands. I love a broad margin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b71/henry-david-thoreau-20_broads_there-were-times-when-i-could-not-afford_1723949.jpg" --- # There were times when I could not afford to sacrifice the… ![“There were times when I could not afford to sacrifice the bloom of the present moment to any work, whether of the head or hands. I love a broad margin to my life.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b71/henry-david-thoreau-20_broads_there-were-times-when-i-could-not-afford_1723949.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b71/henry-david-thoreau-20_broads_there-were-times-when-i-could-not-afford_1723949.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b71/henry-david-thoreau-20_broads_there-were-times-when-i-could-not-afford_1723949.jpg) > ““There were times when I could not afford to sacrifice the bloom of the present moment to any work, whether of the head or hands. I love a broad margin to my life.”” [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. Living fully in the present may require resisting constant work pressures, valuing personal space and time. **In simple terms:** Cherish the present over endless work. Key Takeaway Prioritize present moments. Themes mindfulness balance presence Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily routines - creative projects - personal downtime Key Concepts philosophy self‑care Questions to Reflect On - How do you protect your present moments? - What boundaries keep work from overtaking life? A Different Perspective Too much leisure can hinder productivity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Present moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/present-moment/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I love the broad margin to my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-love-the-broad-margin-to-my-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“TRY: During the day, see if you can detect the bloom of the present moment in every moment, the ordinary ones, the “in-between” ones,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/try-during-the-day-see-if-you-can-detect-the-bloom-of-the-present/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“It is possible, without knowing it, to live at the margin of your own life. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candia-mcwilliam/it-is-possible-without-knowing-it-to-live-at-the-margin-of-your-own/) Candia McWilliam > [“If you want to create capacity and margin in your life, I suggest that you do the following: • Delegate so you’re working smarter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/if-you-want-to-create-capacity-and-margin-in-your-life-i-suggest-that/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [So near along life's stream are the fountains of innocence and youth making fertile its sandy margin; and the voyageur will do well to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/so-near-along-life-s-stream-are-the-fountains-of-innocence-and-youth/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I love a broad margin to my life. Sometimes, in a summer morning, having taken my accustomed bath, I sat in my sunny doorway…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-love-a-broad-margin-to-my-life-sometimes-in-a-summer-morning-having/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A broad margin of leisure is as beautiful in a man's life as in a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-broad-margin-of-leisure-is-as-beautiful-in-a-man-s-life-as-in-a-book/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [ As a whole, \[changing\] is deflation force that is being underestimated. Whether each person thinks of it in the context of the word deflation… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-moelis/as-a-whole-changing-is-deflation-force-that-is-being-underestimated/) [Ken Moelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-moelis/) > [At the end of the day, dividends are not being paid with margins; dividends are paid with earnings per share.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-kaeser/at-the-end-of-the-day-dividends-are-not-being-paid-with-margins/) [Joe Kaeser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-kaeser/) > [Give God the margin of eternity to justify himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-reginald-haweis/give-god-the-margin-of-eternity-to-justify-himself/) [Hugh Reginald Haweis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-reginald-haweis/) > [I learned how to draw from being bored in school. I would doodle on the margins of my paper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-nealon/i-learned-how-to-draw-from-being-bored-in-school-i-would-doodle-on/) [Kevin Nealon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-nealon/) > [Edge also implies what Ben Graham…called a margin of safety. You have a margin of safety when you buy an asset at a price…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mauboussin/edge-also-implies-what-ben-graham-called-a-margin-of-safety-you-have/) [Michael Mauboussin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mauboussin/) > [I learned that you can't write a book in the margins of your life. I'd forgotten how much uninterrupted time it takes to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/i-learned-that-you-can-t-write-a-book-in-the-margins-of-your-life-i-d/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [He should release the tax returns tomorrow. It's crazy. You've got to release six, eight, ten years back tax returns. Take the hit for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kristol/he-should-release-the-tax-returns-tomorrow-it-s-crazy-you-ve-got-to/) [William Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kristol/) > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) ## 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 Broads quotes > [Thoroughly understand what it is to understand, and not only will you understand the broad lines of all there is to be understood but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-lonergan/thoroughly-understand-what-it-is-to-understand-and-not-only-will-you/) [Bernard Lonergan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-lonergan/) > [We'll walk together holding hands, and kiss in broad daylight, and love each other as much as we want to, and no one will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/we-ll-walk-together-holding-hands-and-kiss-in-broad-daylight-and-love/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [There was only the broad square with the scattered dim moons of the street lamps and with the monumental stone arch which receded into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/there-was-only-the-broad-square-with-the-scattered-dim-moons-of-the/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The "family" has clearly emerged anew in the late 1970s as a central subject for discussion, debate, research and writing in bothscholarly and popular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/the-family-has-clearly-emerged-anew-in-the-late-1970s-as-a-central/) Sheila Kamerman > [I am formally accountable to the steering board of the PIC, and I meet with nine ambassadors from the PIC every week. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-ashdown/i-am-formally-accountable-to-the-steering-board-of-the-pic-and-i-meet/) [Paddy Ashdown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-ashdown/) > [If you know the differences between an oak and a poplar, a spruce and a pine, down to the needles... you are able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-allen-lawson/if-you-know-the-differences-between-an-oak-and-a-poplar-a-spruce-and/) [T. Allen Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-allen-lawson/) > [Particularly the broad masses of the people can be moved only by the power of speech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/particularly-the-broad-masses-of-the-people-can-be-moved-only-by-the/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [My life shall be free and broad and great, and I will not be the slave to the sense delights which chained my ancient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/my-life-shall-be-free-and-broad-and-great-and-i-will-not-be-the-slave/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [So the first thing I learned about how to get superior performance is not to buy stocks that are near their lows, but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-neil/so-the-first-thing-i-learned-about-how-to-get-superior-performance-is/) [William O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-neil/) > [Broad-based, inclusive growth is what we need in America, not more advantages for people at the very top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/broad-based-inclusive-growth-is-what-we-need-in-america-not-more/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The trees are white with dust, that o'er their sleep Wave their broad curtains in the south-wind's breath, While underneath such leafy tents they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/the-trees-are-white-with-dust-that-o-er-their-sleep-wave-their-broad/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [A top World War II ace once said that fighter pilots fall into two broad categories: those who go out to kill and those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-top-world-war-ii-ace-once-said-that-fighter-pilots-fall-into-two/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Jubilee 2000 is a broad coalition which has moved the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/jubilee-2000-is-a-broad-coalition-which-has-moved-the-earth/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [As science is more and more subject to grave misuse as well as to use for human benefit it has also become the scientist's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-science-is-more-and-more-subject-to-grave-misuse-as-well-as-to-use/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 956 Broads quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There were times when I could not afford to sacrifice the bloom of the present moment to any work, whether of the head or hands. I love a broad margin to my life.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/there-were-times-when-i-could-not-afford-to-sacrifice-the-bloom-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Broads" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/there-were-times-when-i-could-not-afford-to-sacrifice-the-bloom-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b71/henry-david-thoreau-20_broads_there-were-times-when-i-could-not-afford_1723949.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b71/henry-david-thoreau-20_broads_there-were-times-when-i-could-not-afford_1723949.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b71/henry-david-thoreau-20_broads_there-were-times-when-i-could-not-afford_1723949.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There were times when I could not afford to sacrifice the bloom of the present moment to any work, whether…” — 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": "“There were times when I could...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/there-were-times-when-i-could-not-afford-to-sacrifice-the-bloom-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/there-were-times-when-i-could-not-afford-to-sacrifice-the-bloom-of/#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 } } ] } ```