I shall be telling with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I…
Robert Frost
Do you ever wonder about all those “other roads” you have not taken? There’s two I can think of right now among the many.
Early in my career, I was writing curriculum for the State of Hawaii when a private film company contracted me to write a script to be produced for high school students. This was followed by an offer for a full time job as a script writer. A script writer vs. a curriculum writer. It was clear which would get me to Hollywood. I began leaning toward the more romantic, the more artsy…the less conservative. After weeks of living life as a pendulum, I swung back to my mother’s voice : “Stay with the State. It’s more secure and when you retire, you’re going to need that State retirement and health insurance.”
Another road diverged soon after. During those early years as a classroom teacher, I spent my summers away from Hawaii, knowing I needed to return to the students, refreshed with new experiences. One summer I sent a letter to a ranch in Nebraska, offering to be their summer cook. I pictured all the ranch hands around the rectangular wooden table, asking for seconds of my food cooked with soy sauce. I’ve seen enough John Wayne westerns to know some of those ranch hands are the Marlboro man
“My men would enjoy teriyaki steaks for a change,” the rancher called with a chuckle, and he offered me the job. At the last minute, I turned into a chicken.
I have said no to Paris, Taiwan, New Zealand, Australia, a bicycle ride throughout China among other invitations because timing just didn’t seem right.
I wonder what my life would have become, had I taken the road less traveled. Having a drink with Jim and Steve as in Cameron and Spielberg?
Having my own Cowboy Cuisine TV show?
As the new year unfolds, do we live safe and comfortable or take risks? Do we use the numbers in our age to determine whether we’re too old for that road less traveled? What are some of your regrets?
What are some of your regrets?
Frances,
At this moment, you’re making me cry and I don’t know why. I don’t know that I would’ve met you if you’d been drinking with Jim and Steve.
Cheers,
Alice
Alice, now you’ve given me more thoughts. So…this must mean that if we turn chicken and don’t take the road less traveled, there are still something in store for us so it’s a win-win situation. Of course, had I gone to Hollywood, maybe when you saw me on the red carpet and wrote to me, we would have connected. Thank you for weeping over me.