How often do we ask the question "Where do I go from here?" If life is a series of challenges and lessons, then only by reflecting on our past triumphs and mistakes, can we wisely choose the next path that we will ultimately embrace.

This poem originally was published in Poems on Life

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The Road Less Traveled
by Kit McCallum
How often we must bear the challenges of life;
The endless roller coaster between happiness and sorrow;
The constant ups and downs of daily strife.
And always the question remains .... why?

Life is not an easy road for most;
It twists and turns with many forks in the road,
Although always, and inevitably, we are given a choice ...

Do we turn to the right ... or the left?
Do we take the high road ... or the low road?
Do we take the easy path ... or the difficult one?

Decisions are not easy for those struggling for direction ...
And sometimes the many choices and signs become overwhelming.

While standing at a crossroads in life,
The urge is to take the most comfortable path;
The road with least resistance ...
The shortest or most traveled route.

And yet, if we've been down that comfortable road before;
Have gleaned its lessons in life, and learned from our experiences;

Do we yet again follow the known?
Or does our destiny lie in another direction?

The fear of the road less traveled is tangible and all too real;
It manifests itself in many ways,
And tends to cloud the issues that might otherwise be clear.

It is in these times of confusion,
That we must seek peace and solitude;

Time to contemplate on our life,
Our experiences and our choices past;
Time to look back, and reflect on what we have learned
Without fear or confusion.

For only each of us knows our own personal thoughts;
Our unique past and personal history;
The experiences that brought us to the crossroads we now face.

We can always learn a small degree from others experiences,
And yet ... no one person can walk in our shoes,
Others know not, the trials and tribulations faced in private ...

For each is individual ... unique ... and personal.

And that is why ... while standing at a crossroads,
Only "we" can formulate the decision for ourselves;
The true direction that lies within;
The choices we must deliberate on with clarity and wisdom.

For it is only through personal reflection,
That we can now choose our destiny;
... Our next adventure;
... And the future we will embrace.
© 1999 Kit McCallum Please respect the rights of the author and Passions in Poetry. If you would like to use this poem on your own web page, please contact the Author. Thank you.
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15 Visitor Comments (from the Voting form)
  • David
    Beatiful!
  • Sandra
    thank you for putting thoughts in a wonderful poem that I coudnt have expressed the same way
  • Natasha
    I truly enjoyed this poem. It expressed so much of what I feel in such a beautiful way.
  • Robin
    This is a wonderful poem. I am going to read it to my son at his graduation party. Thank you!
  • Alaa
    The road less traveled,to me seems so true this is what I think about most of the time and so thats why I voted for it.
  • Anna
    I love it! It realy opened me up to life.
  • Elizabeth
    This poem has truly touched me and given me inspiration. I am at a crossroads in life and am decided to take a road less traveled. Some of my family and friends think I am crazy but I know better. I followed the more traveled path the first 20 years of life,suffered and came up empty. Now I shall take the other and will probably be amazed at the peace I will receive. Thanks Kit!
  • Moorea
    It teaches children to take risks. I liked it a lot!
  • Loretta
    Really hit home.
  • Lydia
    That was a very well written poem. I loved how it made me think of my own life and all the decisions we have to make.
  • Franny
    It touched my heart very much.
  • Susan
    I loved this poem. Life is sometimes hard and confusing. The Author is true to her/his self. Thank you for your work.
  • Melanie Mavi
    soul-touching.
  • Judy
    Very well written and thought provoking. I enjoyed it greatly!
  • Theresa
    This is a spin off of my most favorite poem - The Road Not Taken I sent this poem to everyone I know!!!!
All Visitor Comments on this poem have been posted by people who wanted to let the author know the poem touched their hearts. If you would like to leave a comment of your own, please Vote for this poem.