Today I took the road less traveled

My mother is an English major and at various times through my life has recited poetry and literature by memory. One of those recitations left an impact on me that not even she realizes. "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost- I was drawn to it as a child, it was intriguing to me. As an adult, it has been my mantra. I have read it at various times in my life, using it as a reminder that the safe choice is not always the most rewarding. It has served me well, mainly in my career.

Today my husband and I took a vacation day and continued our "adventure" of searching for a piece of land to build on. There is one lot in particular that has grabbed us and won't let go. There are various ways to get to it but we like to find an excuse to take the road that is steep, narrow and gravel.

The moment I saw this picture from today on that gravel road I immediately thought of the Robert Frost poem. Once again, reminding me that the safe choices are not necessarily the best. There are practical reasons to not live in the country (well water, commute, no subdivision) but for us we think the road less traveled may be the best reward. We shall see.


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.