Where is the Road not Taken?

By Tuesday, March 22, 2016

When I was in 9th grade, I read this beautiful poem by Robert Frost that completely blew me. And I am guessing, it inspired every other kid that read it too.


After all, the road not taken sounds so much more alluring than the usual road that everyone else takes - Its that overcrowded road with completely predictable twists and turns. On the other hand, the road not taken it risky. You might be the only one on it and you never know where it will take you.

In fact, when you think about, the road not taken, is not even a road. Its a small path and you are the one responsible for building that road. Legend says it takes people years and years of hard work to build that road.

Choosing the road not taken means working seven days a week and still feeling guilty at the end of the day because you think you didn't work hard enough. It also means coming back from a tipsy dinner, sobering yourself up and getting back to work again.

Taking the normal, safe road means getting stable money in your bank account, but taking the road not taken means not having enough time in your life to check your bank balance or spend it over yourself.

So why take that cursed road not taken?


Because you can take that small path and create a road in any direction you want. Because that same road that everyone else is following wouldn't give you the same happiness as this one.

Because anybody can take the safe short cut, it takes a courageous person to retract and find a road of their own.

Have you ever thought about what had happened if Frodo would have never had the guts to leave Bag end and go out in the world? He always believed he was a simple boy from Shire who was supposed to live and die there. While some might say that destiny had bigger plans for him, I like to think that it was because he believed in himself and he thought he could do something.


Shire might be a pretty town and Bag end might sound comfortable, but the real treasure is hidden somewhere out in the world. Unless and until you don't embark on your own journey, you will never find that road not taken. 


I was reading Lord of The Rings when I passed this Tea Garden somewhere in Himachal Pradesh, and these were the lines that came to my end when I saw the garden.

“The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say”


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2 comments

  1. I've never been one to take the easier road, Ritika. The road not taken has led me up some dead ends, but I have no regrets for having walked those paths. Good luck with walking along the less popular road - totally worth it, I tell you! :)

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    Replies
    1. Thanks a lot Corinne!

      I guess dead ends is just the part of the deal and all we can do is keeping pushing forward and working hard

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