The Roads Not Taken

Throughout my life I have referred fondly to the road less traveled by, either for purposes of adventure while following trails through the forest, or, more personally, to refer to the winding road that I have taken through my life.  Lately, I have been thinking much about all those other roads, the ones I have not taken.  One of those roads is the one leading to prolific blog posts.  I was thinking about that particularly after an old friend of mine who is a fellow writer posted some of his rambling thoughts on writing that struck several chords in my heart.  He made me want to write again.  So this post owes its existence somewhat indirectly to him (thank you, my friend), even though I likely will not actually comment upon those elements that struck me; that I will leave for future posts.

For now, I want to reflect upon how that sense of the roads not taken often darkens the present.  Sometimes we get so caught up in fretting over skills not learned, places not seen, friends not made, and so many not-things, un-things one might say, that we can mire ourselves deeper and deeper into a place of dissatisfaction and despondency rather like the pit of despair.

Here there comes to mind some lyrics from a beautiful song of which I first heard through a wonderful musician I know; it is called Song of Sacrifice and here is a particularly stirring verse:

And the things you love begin to fade
Though you try to hold on
As you grip the sands with aging hands
Til all that's left is gone....

Not a particularly cheerful outlook on life, but so often true.  So many times I try to cling to things from the past, but they slip from my hands like the sands mentioned in that song.  Sometimes the thought of all those things lost, and all those un-things, make me think I might as well give up.  Today, though, I reflect that my focus on those things makes me forget that one powerfully present thing which is the road that I have actually taken, the road less traveled by.  There is great beauty on that road, perhaps greater beauty than upon those not taken.  If only I can learn to see it through all of the pain and heartache and un-things....

I hope whoever stumbles upon this blog will find here an encouragement to live more fully in the here, in the now, in the kaleidoscopic glory of the present moment.  Here's to the present, my dear readers, whomever you may be!