"The fibers of all things have their tension and are strained like the strings of an instrument"

Henry David Thoreau's quote speaks with the interconnectedness of all things. He is recommending that all things, like the strings of an instrument, are connected and have stress. This tension is the force that binds us together and gives us strength. It is the stress that allows us to develop music, art, and literature. It is the tension that permits us to build relationships and neighborhoods. It is the stress that allows us to grow and learn. Thoreau's quote is a tip that we are all connected which we ought to strive to maintain the tension in between us. We ought to strive to produce consistency and balance in our lives and in our relationships. We ought to aim to be conscious of the tension that exists between us and use it to produce something beautiful.