“Stay on the path that the Lord your God has commanded you to
follow. Then you will live long and prosperous lives in the land you are about
to enter and occupy.” Deuteronomy 5:33 (NLT)
“There’s a fork in the road but you never take it.”[1]
It may depend upon our perspective or it may depend upon our
character, but some would look at life and see it as a number of forks in the
road, and choices we must make, as we navigate the one lifetime we have been
given. Robert Frost is known for writing,
character, but some would look at life and see it as a number of forks in the
road, and choices we must make, as we navigate the one lifetime we have been
given. Robert Frost is known for writing,
Two roads
diverged in a wood, and I—
diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the
one less traveled by,
one less traveled by,
And that has
made all the difference.[2]
made all the difference.[2]
The complete stanza says,
I shall be
telling this with a sigh
telling this with a sigh
Somewhere
ages and ages hence:
ages and ages hence:
Two roads
diverged in a wood, and I—
diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the
one less traveled by,
one less traveled by,
And that has
made all the difference.[3]
made all the difference.[3]
Frost was often asked about the “sigh” in this poem and he was
always enigmatic about it. What was the difference made? Was the difference a
good difference or a bad difference? Perhaps it was an unknown difference.
always enigmatic about it. What was the difference made? Was the difference a
good difference or a bad difference? Perhaps it was an unknown difference.
A fork in the road, on the path of life, offers
opportunities, choices, responsibilities, and temptations. In the movie, A Wonderful Life, George Bailey has many
opportunities and forks in his road. His choice at each one is a choice
made out of loyalty. He chooses to serve the banking business his father
started; he chooses to serve his brother; he chooses to serve the poor; he
chooses to serve his town; and just when it looks like all of his choices will
lead to suicide or prison, we find that he has chosen correctly and that he has
also served his family.
opportunities, choices, responsibilities, and temptations. In the movie, A Wonderful Life, George Bailey has many
opportunities and forks in his road. His choice at each one is a choice
made out of loyalty. He chooses to serve the banking business his father
started; he chooses to serve his brother; he chooses to serve the poor; he
chooses to serve his town; and just when it looks like all of his choices will
lead to suicide or prison, we find that he has chosen correctly and that he has
also served his family.
Jayber Crow, the fictional barber in Wendell Berry’s book by
the same name, has this to say about his path.
the same name, has this to say about his path.
Now I have had most of the life I am
going to have, and I can see what it has been. I can remember those early years
when it seemed to me I was cut completely adrift, and times when, looking back
at the earlier times, it seemed I had been wandering in the dark woods of
error. But now it looks to me as though I was following a path that was laid
out for me, unbroken, and maybe even as straight as possible, from one end to
the other, and I have this feeling, which never leaves me anymore, that I have
been led. I will leave you to judge the
truth of that for yourself . . . there is no proof.[4]
going to have, and I can see what it has been. I can remember those early years
when it seemed to me I was cut completely adrift, and times when, looking back
at the earlier times, it seemed I had been wandering in the dark woods of
error. But now it looks to me as though I was following a path that was laid
out for me, unbroken, and maybe even as straight as possible, from one end to
the other, and I have this feeling, which never leaves me anymore, that I have
been led. I will leave you to judge the
truth of that for yourself . . . there is no proof.[4]
There is no proof, and yet, there is always faith. There is no proof, and yet, there is always trust. You will have to judge the truth of that for yourself.
Works Cited:
Berry, Wendell. Jayber Crow: The Life Story
of Jayber Crow, Barber, of the Port William Membership. Berkeley: Counterpoint,
2000.
Cuddy, Jim. Skyscraper Soul, “Watch
Yourself Go Down,” 2011
Yourself Go Down,” 2011
Frost, Robert. The Road Not Taken. 2015.
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173536 (accessed 04 11, 2016).
[1] Jim Cuddy; “Watch Yourself Go Down”; Skyscraper Soul, 2011.
[2] (Frost 2015)
[3] (Frost 2015)
[4] (Berry 2000)
[4] (Berry 2000)