About That Road Less Traveled.....

About That Road Less Traveled..... I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and Iâ€" I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. Robert Frost wrote those words as part of The Road Not Taken over a hundred years ago.     The complete quote is below, but most of us only remember the last few lines about the road less traveled.   Its often framed to mean that taking a chance, breaking away from the norms, the expected, the masses will somehow set you free, or make you rich, or lead to the fulfilling of all your fantasies.    I would suggest thats all delusional. Value Judgments On Being Average For at least a few decades, theres been a constant beating of the drum that somehow being average or normal, whatever those words may mean, is to be avoided.   And Im sure that many have, indeed, found treasures beyond their wildest dreams by venturing down that unknown path. But there is nothing wrong, or less, about being average or normal.   Ive wished many times that I could be.   And its okay to take an average stroll down the street or through the woods or on the beach. No, you dont have to be the best, or have a viral social media experience to lay claim to a quite wonderful life.   Average can be awesome, if you let it.   Normal, simple, calm, and predictable is a pretty nice place to be if you know the terror of living in chaos.   Buy me a drink sometime, and Ill tell you my story. You Dont Know What You Dont Know Yes, each of us comes across many divergent paths.   Too often, society, indulging in ones fantasies, or any one of the seven deadly sins entices us to make choices that alter our lives FOREVER.     Too often, theres no going back once the path is chosen, the door you walked through was a one-way door and it is bolted shut after youve passed through. Read Frosts words once again.   Are they really filled with a teasing of some unimaginable wonderfulness?   Or are they a warning?   A warning to choose wisely and cautiously, because the path you choose will . . . change . . . everything?   What was the sigh about?   Was it bliss?   Or sorrow? Choices, Choices . . . and Consequences Barbara Streisand once sang the words there are no mistakes, just lessons to be learned.    I suspect there are many, many more lessons, and accompanying trials, along the road less traveled.    Yes, in addition to the occasional gemstones and treasures.   Like the hopeful miners of gold rush days, youll never know for sure the prices that youll pay for the hope of finding gold. For every miner who found a handful of yellow metal, thousands perished, poor.   I think I hear their echoing sigh, just now. Its Okay To Be Average Mediocrity.   Average.   Just an everyday, common Joe or Jane.   Its okay if that describes you.   Treasure where you are, and   in the present moment, choose wisely. Because youre going to have to live in the next moment, too.   Ill see you on the other sighed. Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood 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 Iâ€" I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.