Changes and Choices...and Giving Back...

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

 —Robert Frost

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Life is full of choices.

We find ourselves at a cross road with every decision we have to make.  Some are small decisions and some are life challengingly huge...

There are no wrong choices, only different ways to get to the same place.  Some maybe easier then others.

What happens when we find we made a choice, that lead us in a direction, that at first might have gone in the direction we needed to go, but later on, turned out to take us farther away?  When we are young, we think have all the time in the world, to go off and do whatever it is that strikes our fancy (so to speak) But do we really have all that time we think we have?  After all, "Time and Unforeseen Occurrences Befall us all...", and in that, give us more decisions and choices.

Maybe the choice we make, while not a bad choice, is the "easy way out"?  The choice that meant less decisions to make, because they were all made for us, so we think we will have less mistakes to face, because we didn't have to struggle to climb that mountain, or ladder. And maybe it meant less struggle, or maybe we DID have struggle, but in an easier area of life for us to handle.  Mistakes are really our way to learn, and it might just take some of us longer then others, to realize we have made a mistake, and what to do to correct it.  But if we don't make mistakes how to we grow? 

We are all born with gifts.  Maybe we were given a gift and chose to use it in ways that benefit us, and maybe a few around us, and in that way felt content.  Maybe it could have benefited many, but it was "easier" to just be content....  then to find out who we really are, and how to use use our gifts to benefit others.  And, then, maybe we were just meant to give our gifts in small amounts to those close to us.

As we get older, we might feel we do not have as much time to make the course correction, that we had when we are younger.  You might feel that if you change courses now, it will disrupt everyone's lives around you, and maybe even disappoint some.  But if you feel like that, maybe were not your "real" true self all along.  Or at least not your WHOLE real self...

Some might feel like they have not grown, and that is a regret, or it's too late to change or "too late to do it now", and they might think, "oh well, that's life"...  but is it? 

I recently read about an 86 year old woman who always wanted to live on a farm.  When her husband died a few years before, she decided now was the time.  She didn't "regret" her life with him, or the children she had, but she wanted to live out that goal, fantasy, direction, in her life for however many year she had left. 

So she bought a farm.  At 83 years old, she bought a farm! And collected animals, and grew small crops.  The article didn't spell out how she did this, although I think she seemed to be pretty vibrant, maybe she had help from local kids, or family, I don't know..but she was doing it.  She found a way.  And she was happy and, to herself, finally fulfilled... and she was giving back to her community...

There are countless articles in local papers about people in their 80's, and even 90's, going back to school to learn what they always wanted to learn...or write that book they always wanted to write....to give back in some way to others...So it's never "too" late...

I read these articles and view them as "incentive"...

You are never too old to learn...

You are never too old to make a course correction in life, even if it is a total turn-around from your "past" life...

You are never too old to "make mistakes". 

Just maybe all that living we've done, can help us put those mistakes into perspective, and actually, this time around, learn from them...and GROW...Really grow!

We are all here for each other.  To help each other, encourage each other, learn from each other, hold each other up when we are down....whether it is our family, or our friends, or our neighbors, or even the stranger on the street.

If we are alive, we will always have choices...because that is what Life is about..

At some point in life....it is OUR turn to give back to each other, in some way....if that means a change in direction, then that is what we need to do....whether it is a small change or a huge change....

Maybe a life change can do that....Maybe it is a way to get back to that Path we might have taken....or it is simply a way back after a detour.....back to business after "the scenic route".....or maybe the path we took WAS our correct path, and now it is just time for a change..the next cross road...

So when you feel like you are 'too old', and don't have enough time left, think of those 80 and 90 year old's who are DOING it....Maybe that's what growing is all about.....being true to ourselves, and in the process, giving back to others...because let's face it...

They ...ALL of the people in our lives, whether we knew them or not.....helped us get to where we are today.

No regrets....only choices.....

See ya later,
Janie