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 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 travelled by. And that has made all the difference.
I am overwhelmed by how relevant a poem this old is today. It is strange how drastically things have changed over the years, yet somehow remain the same. We face the same challenges as our forefathers; poverty, lack of education, racial division and some sort of oppression- we suffer similar pains and illnesses and to some extent, embrace their fashion in our time.
There comes a point in one’s life when tough choices have to be made -for example, the institution to pursue your studies, the qualification to pursue, the company to work for, the department of preference, the ideal wife or husband, the brand of car and the school your children should attend. There’s always an array of choices to made, and more often than not- they are not easy to make.
All too often I find myself asking “what do I want for my life?” “Where do I want to be?” “What’s the best solution to my problem?” With each probing question I ask-the answers seem to disappear with each education brochure I read or the different departments I work within the company. The threshold of my confusion seems to be slowly spiraling out of control.
I find myself at a cross road- faced with a tough choice to make; which road to embark on as I lay the first milestone of my career. I am currently in a graduate development program which entails rotating within different departments of the bank. My passion to study further is forcing me to choose between Risk Management and Investment Management and the impact this will have on my career development. While both alternatives will influence my work- different reasons to pursue one over the other come into play .Do I pursue what will get me ahead at work or do I pursue something I find interesting? Do I pursue one over the other because it’s more familiar? Or do I pursue one over the other for self development?
The possibilities each road offers are enticing, the prospects are both rewarding. The one road guarantees security and comfort and is travelled by a lot of people. The other however, is less familiar and unhampered - providing an opportunity for growth; a new arena to diversify and influence. By default- our society does not like the unfamiliar as it’s perceived to be risky and uncertain-but what if taking this journey changes your life?
Many students and people have been at a cross road some point in their lives- a point where you had to choose one option over another. Different factors could have influenced your decision- be it parents, finances or opportunities at that time. Some of us have followed the crowd because their way seemed easier and more secure-even though we wanted to take a riskier and more adventurous road.
The question we should be asking ourselves today is “are we going to travel the road more travelled? Or “are we ready to forge our path- a road less travelled?
I believe the time for us to take responsibility for our destiny is upon us. The first step starts with making a choice that is aligned to the vision we have for our lives; the kind of future we’ve dreamed about.
Like Robert Frost, stand at the intersection of your life and decide- do you want to succeed or fail? Do you want to change your situation or dwell in your misery? Take the road less travelled and be the difference you want to see in your life.
Smile. Laugh. Live
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