It is the road taken that makes all the difference
Robert Frost’s poetic masterpiece “Road Not Taken” weaves around our life and the choices we make.
The poem is about us when we stand at cross-roads in life where decisions are confusing and hard especially when there is no one to guide us. The poem reminds us in a profound manner that our decisions lead us to wonder “what if” and “what could have been” for the road not taken / opportunities left behind.
What we don’t realize while at that juncture is that paths in front of us are always nearly identical. The choices we perceive in front of us, may only be an illusion. For any path we take, is an opening to a new and diverse observable universe in a multiverse of possibilities. The paths we don’t take are closed and hence, can’t be observed, thus, non-existent / inconsequential.
I agree with the observations Robert Frost makes in his poem. In the present, it is natural to be in doubt and to regret the options not explored. However, it is highly unlikely that we can revisit a decision taken. As we move forward (in life), we continue to find more paths that take us further away from the decisions made in the past. In retrospect, everything is finite, but prospectively, there are infinite possibilities (Demetri Martin). So planning the end of a road and regretting the unchartered choices, may all seem futile and silly - but only in retrospect.
Life is about the path we choose to walk and not about “the road not taken” while knowing that the dimension of time is not in our control. Imbibing this could be a start to a journey towards unlocking your potential through self-liberation and a growth mindset.
