The Road Not Taken - Robert Frost

I know there are lots of interpretations of this poem, but I prefer the one that says it is about freedom of choice and an appreciation of not doing the obvious. If I can instill a sense of this into my boys, I'll be delighted.

The Road Not Taken - Robert Frost

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.

leaving for South Africa

When I was 18, I spent a year teaching in a very rural school in Northern South Africa. There were about 40 of us volunteers who were going to South Africa and we all took the same flight from Heathrow. There was a moment, as everyone had said goodbye to friends and family, walked through passport control and we were just sitting there, a bit lost, a bit sad and a bit scared.

Someone had a boombox with them and put on these 2 songs. They will forever remind me of that moment.

Tom Petty: Free Falling

Kim Carnes: Bette Davies Eyes