The Road Not Taken

Robert Frost wrote the poem entitled, The Road Not Taken.  Do you know it?

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Following yesterday’s melancholy, I was thinking about the choices I made in my 20’s and how they led me to where I am.  There must be something in the air because even though I’m not doubting where I presently am, I’m wondering what might have happened if I hadn’t made a few key choices.

Do you ever think like that?  When/if you look back in hindsight, can you see where you came to the fork in the road and chose one way over another?  I can.  And while I wouldn’t have the kids I do (well, probably not) if I had chosen differently and I would never want to not have those special darlings in my life, I can see how it unfolded due to my choices.  And I’m completely ok with my choices,  But…

I took the road most traveled by because I was scared of change and what people would think if I packed up and moved to Europe.  Having lived there before as a student, I loved it.  But I feared that the shine would diminish if I went back there to work  and had to deal with being so far from my family.  And of course, there was a man involved as well, but I wasn’t brave enough to take that huge leap into the unknown with him.

I don’t normally waste time in thinking those what if’s very much, but yesterday’s post brought up a lot for me.  Maybe there’s some type of spiritual clearing that’s going on?  Do you know if that’s possible?

Can you see where your choices have landed you where you are right now?  Are you grateful or do you still wonder what if?