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

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I introduce my journal with this poem as it resonates with my life on so many different levels. And if you read it again you might find it connecting with you too.

This poem describes a situation where a person is standing on a road with a diversion. Real-life situations are represented by this diversion. The world can be tough sometimes and we’ve got to make tough decisions. We couldn’t figure out what was right or wrong.

It’s our hopes and ambitions that drive us to make a decision. In our minds, we think we can change and start over if we don’t pursue accomplishments. In the end, we regret traveling too far. The one decision we make could turn us into someone extraordinary. Thus, the road not taken summary is about making wise decisions.

At times when my mind goes blank and foggy during calamities, I often refer to this poem and meditate on each word.

It gives me a sense of revival.