--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To be awake is to be alive." description: "\"To be awake is to be alive.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/henry-david-thoreau-20_alive_to-be-awake-is-to-be-alive-1711479_1711479.jpg" --- # To be awake is to be alive. ![“To be awake is to be alive.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/henry-david-thoreau-20_alive_to-be-awake-is-to-be-alive-1711479_1711479.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/henry-david-thoreau-20_alive_to-be-awake-is-to-be-alive-1711479_1711479.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/henry-david-thoreau-20_alive_to-be-awake-is-to-be-alive-1711479_1711479.jpg) > “To be awake is to be alive.” [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. Awareness of life is achieved through conscious, active engagement with the world. **In simple terms:** Being awake means truly living. Key Takeaway Stay present and engaged. Themes consciousness life presence Mood reflective calm Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - Morning routines - travel - learning new skills - mindful meditation Key Concepts Existentialism mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay present daily? - What does being alive feel like for you? A Different Perspective Awareness alone doesn't guarantee happiness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Awake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awake/) [Awake Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awake-alive-727774/) [Breathe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathe/) [Loving life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loving-life/) ## Related quotes > [“Morning is when I am awake and there is a dawn in me. Moral reform is the effort to throw off sleep. The millions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/morning-is-when-i-am-awake-and-there-is-a-dawn-in-me-moral-reform-is/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“She was awake, alive, full of ideas like branches in a greenhouse, growing thick and rife against the glass.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolina-de-robertis/she-was-awake-alive-full-of-ideas-like-branches-in-a-greenhouse/) [Carolina De Robertis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolina-de-robertis/) > [From experience we know that whenever we are truly awake and alive, we are also truly grateful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/from-experience-we-know-that-whenever-we-are-truly-awake-and-alive-we/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [“Cause with you, I was awake, and with you, I was alive, and with you, I'm brave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-rock/cause-with-you-i-was-awake-and-with-you-i-was-alive-and-with-you-i-m/) [J.A. Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-rock/) > [“To be awake is to be alive. I have never yet met a man who was quite awake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/to-be-awake-is-to-be-alive-i-have-never-yet-met-a-man-who-was-quite/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [There is no place so AWAKE and ALIVE as the edge of becoming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/there-is-no-place-so-awake-and-alive-as-the-edge-of-becoming/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [“I'm awake, I'm alive, now I know what I believe inside, now its my time, I'll do what I want, cause this is my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skillet/i-m-awake-i-m-alive-now-i-know-what-i-believe-inside-now-its-my-time/) [skillet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skillet/) > [Peace is present right here and now, in ourselves and in everything we do and see. Every breath we take, every step we take,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/peace-is-present-right-here-and-now-in-ourselves-and-in-everything-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I've been numb for years, and I didn't realize it until after you appeared and - and made me feel something. Since then, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-monir/i-ve-been-numb-for-years-and-i-didn-t-realize-it-until-after-you/) [Alexandra Monir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-monir/) > [Isn't overwhelming when life turns you down? it means that your awake and alive to be tested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/isn-t-overwhelming-when-life-turns-you-down-it-means-that-your-awake/) [Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) > [I look at the time with you to keep me awake and alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gabriel/i-look-at-the-time-with-you-to-keep-me-awake-and-alive/) [Peter Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gabriel/) > [I'm alive, for you I'm awake. Because of you. I'm alive. Told you I'm awake. Swallowing you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/godsmack/i-m-alive-for-you-i-m-awake-because-of-you-i-m-alive-told-you-i-m/) [Godsmack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/godsmack/) > [It's getting harder to stay awake And my strength is fading fast You breathe into me at last I'm awake I'm alive Now I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel/it-s-getting-harder-to-stay-awake-and-my-strength-is-fading-fast-you/) [Rachel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel/) > [“Well, life is not just a business of standing on dry land and occasionally getting your feet wet. It is merely an illusion that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-scott/well-life-is-not-just-a-business-of-standing-on-dry-land-and/) [Paul Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-scott/) > [“Nonaggression and the Four Maras All the maras point the way to being completely awake and alive by letting go, by letting ourselves die…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/nonaggression-and-the-four-maras-all-the-maras-point-the-way-to-being/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) ## 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 Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To be awake is to be alive.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/to-be-awake-is-to-be-alive/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/to-be-awake-is-to-be-alive/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/henry-david-thoreau-20_alive_to-be-awake-is-to-be-alive-1711479_1711479.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/henry-david-thoreau-20_alive_to-be-awake-is-to-be-alive-1711479_1711479.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/henry-david-thoreau-20_alive_to-be-awake-is-to-be-alive-1711479_1711479.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To be awake is to be alive.” — 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": "To be awake is to be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/to-be-awake-is-to-be-alive/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/to-be-awake-is-to-be-alive/#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 } } ] } ```