“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”
These are the last lines of the poem “The Road Less Traveled” by Robert Frost. I love this poem! If you are not familiar with it, it is simply about choosing the path of life that no one expects you to go on - or the one that less people have chosen. Basically, it is about taking a risk and doing something new and different.
Have you ever done that? I think I surprised people when I retired. Yes, I had taught for 30 years, but I was still relatively young for retiring and had a great gig at a wonderful school with AMAZING kids and staff! Why would I choose to quit? However, I knew “my why” and knew that it would be ok.
Having a new schedule and lots of time on my hands has been good for a bunch of reasons. Many doors have opened up and I am using my experience in education in many other ways: mentoring, presenting/public speaking, blogging and writing, and even subbing here and there! It’s been really fun! Just when I start missing my people or getting bored, something pops up.
I have had lots of people check on me. They are worried I have been bored because they are not used to me “sitting still.” I can honestly say there have been times I have missed the chaos of teaching and the community it brings. But, the main reason I did retire is family and the new amount of time I have been able to spend with them is unbelievable! This family-time I can’t get back!
Sometimes life brings us to new seasons and we have to give up things or make big changes. So, when you get to that point and you choose to go down a new path…. (making a big change in life that some people may not get or understand) it’s ok to do it as long as you are willing to take the risk and see the value in it. Who knows -taking that road less traveled can make all the difference and bring so much new joy into your life!
Have you ever taken a risk or made a big change in your life that others weren’t sure about you doing? What kept you going on with your decision? How did you not let the pressure of others stop you? Looking back, are you glad you did what you did? The big key to remember is that it is YOUR life!