In his classic poem “The Road Not Taken,” Robert Frost describes coming to a fork in the road and having to choose between the two paths that lie before him. The poem closes with one of the most famous lines of modern literature: “I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”
Too often the poem is interpreted as being about one monumental moment, one enormous decision, that determines the outcome of a person’s whole life. It is as if, once this one decision is made, all is well, and the rest of the road is smooth and slopes gently downhill. The poem is not about one moment in a person’s life. It is about every moment of our lives.
We find ourselves constantly at a crossroads. No sooner do we make one decision and take three or four steps down either path than we come upon two roads diverging in a yellow wood... again!
The fork in the road is constantly appearing in our lives.
The ability to choose comes from a sense of purpose. Leaders are charged with the responsibility of making decisions, because they above all others are supposed to understand the purpose of the people or organization they lead. Direction comes from an understanding of where you are going. If you don’t know where you are going, you are lost.
What matters most to you? Where are you going?
Matthew Kelly
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