I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
This excerpt is taken from the famous poem The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost. I guess this sentiment has become so commonplace, so overstated, that it has become trite. Actually, if you read the entire poem, it really is altogether lovely and poignant. A true classic. One that contains a powerful life lesson.
I don't need anyone to tell me that I am a deeply flawed and sinful person. I recognize that I have lots of areas in my life that need buttressing and attention. For several years, I have been working on myself, in fact, quite diligently. At certain moments, I can even deceive myself into believing that I am making noteworthy progress. Just when I think that I have most of my demons stuffed back into their cages, that I am doing well, they seem to break loose and the old me emerges. This is the well-worn road in my life. A wholly frustrating and predictable path, one that leads to darkness and ruin. When I am traveling on the other road, I sense its newness. I delight in the new sights and bask in the warm and radiant light. It is where I long to be, where I need to be, yet in a heartbeat, I can be distracted and suddenly, without warning, I am once again trodding along on the old path. I must recognize that in life, I can never simply engage the cruise control or press the auto-pilot. Staying on the less traveled road requires attention and care, but it really can make all the difference.
