The road less traveled

Well....it sounds much more romantic than it is. It sounds mystical and shadowed in the softest of all dewy morning light, the animals from Disney studios lined up on either side to sing to you, the gentle breeze softly moving your beautifully flowing hair. It is magical the road less traveled and no wonder Robert Frost chose such a delightful way to go. Who would not do so for goodness sake!

Only of course, it isn't like this at all. It's bumpy and barren and at a cross road there is a huge sign that says, 'I'd turn back if I was you'. And you, being you have to think long and hard about doing anything to the contrary. Why on earth would someone choose the hilly, bumpy lonely trail where we are definitely warned and directed to go another way. There are probably news stories of those who have made the same turn never to be heard from again. I bet even alien life forms here to shop at our Wal*Marts and make children with our actors, would avoid the road less traveled. So why on earth are we supposed to choose the silly thing.

I today sitting here staring out the window of my imagination can honestly say, I have no earthly idea. I know that making the choice two years ago has lead me to a cross road where I get to make it again. My tummy is queasy and my head aches and I wonder, girl, have you lost your mind?! Yes, of course I have, I was called to do so you know. Loose it all to find it, I am confident that was the call. I will admit it does seem to be taking an inordinate amount of time to have my mind found, but I must also agree that I am not missing it much.

It seems when one chooses the road less traveled it is not a final destination. It leads to more cross roads, more choices, even less traveled paths and byways that do not look at all appealing but somehow call to you. I am standing here once more wondering if the road less traveled has 'made all the difference'. I am not sure I could say with absolute confidence yes, my life is a joyful place because I 'chose wisely'. There are times, when I am sweating profusely as I climb over yet another daggone boulder that is four times my size and there is no way around, that I think I should have turned back just like the sign said. I am not excited about the muscles I am developing. They hurt, did you know that? Is my faith deepening, perhaps but surely it could have deepened on the road with Bambi and ET and Thumper too. I suspect that there may never come a golden day when I say with the assurance of a conqueror, I was a genius to choose the road less traveled.

So why am I choosing it? I will tell you without a shadow of a doubt that I believe it is the only faithful choice there is. I do not care a whit about muscles, or anything else I might gain on this journey nearly as much as one day looking at God with whatever nerve I am able to gather and have Him muss my hair and say, 'you did good. We laughed a lot at you kiddo, but you did good.' This I can live with. Somehow enough that I am inching along this lousy road less traveled. Come on, go with me. Misery loves company.