Typically, at milestone moments in life, Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken" is recited because it encourages us to take the one less traveled by, fully knowing this choice will change our lives forever.
Not so long ago, I was struck by how limiting Frost's vision was when compared to an equally well-known poem in Spanish by Antonio Machado. Rather than presenting us with only two options, Machado clarifies that there are no paths except the ones we create by walking: Caminante, no hay camino, se hace el camino al andar.
Rather than choosing between two roads, Machado's view of life is that there are infinite possibilities, but only our energy, creativity, and motivation create one uniquely for ourselves. Antonio Machado's own road was difficult: forced to flee during the Spanish Civil War, he died and was buried in Coullioure, France. Nevertheless, his poetry is an enduring legacy that making the difficult decisions, even in the face of death, are important ones.
In this modern age where our behavior has been quantified, analyzed and categorized according to the consumer niche we occupy based on our age, gender, level of education and past buying habits, it is comforting to think that we still have the power to create our own road. By ignoring both the well-traveled and the less traveled ones, we possess the freedom to strike out on our own to leave a personal set of footprints.
I’m Frances Jaegerand that's my perspective.
