The Road Less Traveled
I’m sure that at some point during your elementary through college years, you have of the poem “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. The poem states this, “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both … Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” Although I originally first heard this poem as a middle school student, I had not yet made the connection as to why such a poem is important and still resonates well with anyone no matter his or her age or stature.
This poem can be analyzed in every way, but as a writer who loves venting out my feelings via my articles, I’m going to explain my current take on the poem. The poem is obviously discussing the fact that you will face a time in your life where you must make a decision that could gravely impact you positively or negatively. The choice you make might not be the most popular choice, you may even be told to take the other road because it appears the most beneficial, but instead, I took the road that was closest to my heart.
I am currently in the prime of my years, I am a twenty-year-old and a junior in college, living through the time of my life that will determine my entire future. As of recently, my life has undergone a multitude of changes, some changes positive, some changes negative, some changes where I don’t know whether or not taking the harder road will be the easiest pay out. I’m an e-board member of my favorite organization, I’m a media ambassador, I’m one of the queens of fraternity, but I’m human. And I don’t have all of the answers to any of my questions as to what to do in the future. The poem describes that if you make one choice and choose a particular road, you probably will not be able to come back to the two roads to see where the other may have led you, and that is okay.
You know why this poem is still being taught today even though it was written in 1916? Because no matter your age, ethnicity, and position in life you will come across a road that you don’t know what will help or hurt you. This poem is about making a choice. Eventually, in the future, you will look back over this stressful decision and realize how life changing it was.
So to every young woman (or man) reading this, it is okay to not know the answers. It is okay to take a chance at flying even though you may fall, and to realize that the decision you made will turn out great in the future. As you move forward into your college years, whether you’re a freshman, sophomore, junior or senior that it is okay to embrace the unexpected, and to welcome change into your life.