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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Thanksgiving and the approaching holiday season should
be more than a time of eating too much, over imbibing
and worrying if there will be enough money to buy everything
expected by family, friends and children. For many it's the
season to max out the credit cards and then try and wipe the
debt they've incurred out of their minds. The "Thanks" in
Thanksgiving and the "Christ" in Christmas are lost in the
shuffle.
In a Christian home Thanksgiving and Christmas are a
time of true thanks, and reflection. New Year's is a day
of joy for celebrating making it to the new year, and
time to take inventory of who we are, where we've been
and more importantly, where we are going. Unfortunately
football is more important in many households.
Do you make New Year's resolutions? Maybe instead of resolutions
there should be a list of goals we want to achieve. Hurdles we want to
overcome. Lessons to be learned. Things to do and places
to see.
Some years ago a friend who was a very successful attorney
asked how we were doing. I replied we were struggling.
With a thoughtful look, he explained his dad had died, his
mom was not able to live on her own. He had added a small
apartment to his home for her. He had two kids in college,
and oh yes, there were the hospital bills for dads's illness.
Then, "Deanna, we're all struggling, the difference is just
the number of zeros at the end."
We all have problems - but somehow, those of us who have
chosen the road less traveled, to spend a part of our lives
as fly fishers, have done so by choice. No one is ever
forced to live as a fly fisher - and trust me, it does
become a way of life. Having made that choice greatly
influences how you handle your problems, and the approach
you take to prioritize your life. How you live your life.
What really is important? It can't be the final destination,
because for all of us, the 'final' destination is death.
For me, in life and in fly fishing, it is the journey.
On the road less traveled.
~ LadyFisher
If you would like to comment on this or any other article please feel free to
post your views on the FAOL Bulletin Board!
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