It says it all I think :)

The Road Not Taken - By Robert Frost

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

My Cousin Shashi would always bring this poem up whenever I question any decision or thought whether there would have been any difference If I had done something else etc etc.....

The Road in this poem is a good metaphor in life for changes, journeys, adventures, partings etc. But that is just looking at this poem at a superficial level. If you keep peeling the layers, I think there are many more meanings to this poem. The author feeling sorry that he cannot take both roads is so reflective of how at so many crucial junctions of our life, when we have to chose one or the other - we wish if we could just have both....(could be a decision, or a change in life or people) kind of like having your cake and eating it too I guess. I have also felt the this poem indicates at some level that the two roads might not be that different than we feel.

I don't know why, but I was thinking about this poem a lot today and just wanted to penn my thoughts here.

My foray into short stories world

I was reading a post by my brother Teju regarding short stories and his own short story of 55 words and I thought this was a good time to post my own shorty story here. Enjoy...(comments are welcome).

Disclaimer: This was one of my first attempts at a short story written ages ago..


WAIT - A short story

As the taxi sped past the lush green meadows and towering trees, my mind raced to the past. I still remembered him as if I had seen him yesterday and not 12 years back.

Time seems to have flown so fast. His exuberance, vitality and joyful nature were not the only endearing qualities about him. He himself as a person appealed to anyone who went near him. I came out of my trance with a jolt when the taxi halted at a traffic signal. I could see the control towers of the airport in the distance. I was very nervous at the thought of coming to the airport to receive him and had planned to stay at home. But the strong urge to see him had made me take up this travel to the airport.

I consciously smoothed my yellow cotton sari, his favorite of course. He always had found yellow color pleasing to eyes, soothing and refreshing. I glanced at myself in the rearview mirror of the taxi. My hair had started graying near the temples and years had taken their toll by putting wrinkles on my once smooth face, but nothing could dim the shine in my eyes at the thought of seeing him after 12 long years. A long sigh escaped my lips. I hoped that his love for me hadn’t changed in the ensuing years. I was only dreading about his reaction on seeing me. Suddenly, a horrifying thought came into my mind – what if he doesn’t recognize me? Then I reassured myself that a person who had loved me so much couldn’t have forgotten me so easily. Still, I entered the airport with a fluttering heart. I was wondering whether I made a mistake by coming to the airport, when I heard them announcing the arrival of the flight.

I craned my neck to scan him among the passengers entering the lounge and there he was. All my fears went flying when my dear, lovable 12 year old grandson Suhas came running towards me to hug his favorite albeit old grandmother. Tears of happiness were flowing from my eyes when my son and daughter-in-law touched my feet. As hugged Suhas to me, I realized that my WAIT had come to an end and I had happiness in my hand.