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 (1915)

Other than the beautiful verses written to me by the Sweetie Man, of all the poems I've ever read, this is by far my absolute favorite. It is the essence of my life now and will be for a long time to come. As you know, I'm 50, and I grew up in a town and a time where you just didn't do things to make people look at you different. You did, wore, or acted as was expected of you, like it or not. Yet there always was this person inside of me that longed to "buck the system", so to say, even if just very subtly. I used to tell people when I was young that I couldn't wait to be in my 30's cause then I could do whatever I wanted. Well, when I became 30 that didn't happen for various reasons and I was actually probably stifled even more from what I wanted to do in my life or who I wanted to be.

As I became older, and maybe wiser, I started taking those chances. Listening to my heart....instead of everyone else's "head". I began doing what I knew in my heart would lead me to happiness in MY life. At this point in time, the "road less traveled" is the road to my happiness. Whether it is letting my hair grow very long when everyone else my age changed it as they grew older, getting a tatoo, having three dogs......and most of all, the one thing that really made me not fear the "road less traveled" was the road that led me to the Sweetie Man. Without getting long-winded here, as I know I've talked about "being who you truly are" in the past, my son, Sweetie Man, and myself have chosen to go down another "Less Traveled Road" in our lives....actually at the urging of my son. I'm not going to go into it in detail, as most of you would probably say, "oh, good for you, no big deal!" as I would expect anyone to say....except......unfortunately some. Those who want to heap unsolicited guilt on me for wanting what, in my heart, (and the hearts of my son and fiance) truly trust will give us yet more happiness and understanding of the lives we want to lead as well as our relationship with each other......I will say no further on this as I may dig myself in a hole here, but the bottom line is......two things I hope you get out of this posting:

1. If someone you know, wants to make a change in their life, whether it be a new job, having a baby, changing religions, moving out of state......wish them well. IF THEY ASK FOR YOUR ADVICE, (or if you feel the NEED to give advice for some reason) then give it POLITELY and LISTEN to THEIR reasons for the change without accusing and heaping guilt on them for their decision, without telling them how disappointed you are in them for even thinking of making a change.... and,

2. Don't be afraid...NEVER ever be afraid to walk down the path less traveled. Listen to your heart, take a chance. You only have one "go-round" in this life....BE HAPPY.....for me it made ALL the DIFFERENCE....and I believe it will work for me...for us....again!

Till tomorrow, yinz crazy guys.....