6 April 2002

Subject: At The Crossroads  

Dear Ones,

It's Saturday and time to take another marble out of the jar. I pray that this day will find you healthy and happy.... enjoying life to the fullest.

Since my days in college Sophomore Literature, I have enjoyed reading poetry. Mind you, I'm afraid I may not completely comprehend what the poet had in mind when they wrote a particular poem, but I enjoy reading it just the same... sometimes interpreting their words to my own liking.

Recently, I was re-reading a poem by Robert Frost that has been read by millions of people since it was first published. Many may have thought it amusing; some, complete nonsense; others, a profound and true tribute to their own beliefs. Not only do they interpret it's meaning differently, some don't even agree on its title. You can find it published under two titles: "The Road Less Traveled" and "The Road Not Taken".

The literal meaning of this poem seems pretty obvious. A traveler comes to a fork in the road and needs to decide which way to go to continue his journey. After much mental debate, the traveler picks the road "less traveled by" which "made all the difference".

The figurative meaning is not too hidden either. The poem describes the tough choices people stand for when traveling the road of life.

The traveler, who seems to explore the road less traveled for the simple pleasure of going where others have not, realizes the importance of the decision he makes. He advocates an open-mindedness and individuality becoming of man.

This poem reminds me of the honeymoon trip taken by Leavon and me many years ago. After much discussion of where to go on our honeymoon, we settled on a driving trip from SW Louisiana to Florida. It was August and the weather was hot and humid. We packed accordingly.... sleeveless sundresses, short-sleeved shirts and shorts.

After about 200 miles of traveling East toward Florida, we came to a fork in the road.... turn left (North) and we would be heading to Tennessee.... a right turn (South) and we would be on our way to sunny Florida. Leavon, sitting right next to me, leaned against me to brace herself for the expected right-hand turn, but it didn't happen. "Where are you going?” she asked, as I turned the steering wheel and headed left (North). "We're going to the mountains", I answered.

At the time, I wasn't thinking about "advocating an open-mindedness and individuality". In fact, I don't have the slightest idea why I decided upon impulse to take the other road that day unless it was that I just wanted to surprise my new bride with the unexpected. I only know that after a couple of days freezing our buns off in the mountains of Tennessee.... it made a big "difference" that we didn't have any warm clothes with us.... so, we headed to Florida to spend the rest of our honeymoon.

It was only years later after I read a quote from the distinguished philosopher, Yogi Berra, that I truly and completely understood why I made the decision I did that day on our honeymoon trip. Yogi said, "When you arrive at a fork in the road, take it."

Have a GREAT Saturday and may you always choose the right path when you find yourself at the crossroads of life.

Don

P. S.

"We all take different paths in life, but no matter where we go, we take a little of each other everywhere."

~ Tim McGraw ~

The Road Not Taken

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.

Robert Frost (1874 - 1963)