Robert Frost wrote a poem about making decisions called "The Road Not Taken". There are a couple ways I can relate the poem "The Road Not Taken" to my life. In my life I have to make decisions and live with the consequences if they are good or bad.
I don’t necessarily remember the reason, but in 5th Grade I decided to take a path away from baseball. Now, 2 years later I regret that decision because I really like baseball, but I feel like I am to far behind to catch up with everyone else. In this case I look back on this decision with a sigh of regret.
This dilemma brings me to another decision. The 2 options are: try to play now in a league where I am only old enough to play by a couple days and am playing with people whom some are 16, or to not play baseball and almost definitely never play again. The problem with this particular decision is that what ever path I choose I will regret it. The trick with this decision is to pick the path I will regret less.
A more fun decision to make is what bb gun I should get. A while ago I chose a good one but unfortunately it only shoots pellets. The two bb guns I am choosing between now are a nice, single pump, that has a very unique coking motion that I really like but only shoots a little faster than the bb gun I have now. The other option is a much faster bb gun that is multi-pump and has a less desirable cocking motion. I think I could be happy with either one of these guns and I think it is mostly just about how I react to their strengths and weaknesses.
Life has lots of forks in the road, like in the poem. The way you take can change your life for better or for worse. You can also have a good attitude and make that worse path better.
Eli
From the editor, FYI:
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 marked 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 |
Eli,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this. I like how you organized your thoughts and touched upon some of the main themes and subtleties of the poem.
A few comments:
1. In regard to your baseball decision, I would argue that, unlike the poem, you CAN return to the other path. Your decision as a 12 year old does not determine your entire athletic future. If you decide you want to play baseball again, you can—even in an organized league. It may require swallowing some of your pride though as you will certainly have some catching up to do.
2. In regard to your interpretation of the poem, is Frost’s sigh really one of “regret”, as you say? Does he regret not having gone down the other path? Maybe the sigh is just wistfulness about the unknown. While it can be disappointing to miss out on some potential, I think regret is a bit strong. Especially if you can have the positive attitude you refer to in the end. Ultimately, I think that attitude is what “makes all the difference”.
3. A final note: If Frost is serious that it really does make a big difference to take the less traveled path, when all else appears equal, I think we ought to keep this wise old writer's advice in mind.
Papa
i am after all playing baseball again
ReplyDeletei am after all playing baseball again
ReplyDelete