timed effect essay

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 far,

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 onto 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 (1916)

Robert Frost wrote this poem nearly a century ago and it is still inspiring the inspirable today. In 2002 I was a young man of nineteen at a pivotal crossroad in my life searching for answers and direction. This one piece of material has had a profound impact on my life each and every day since the first time I read it in 2002. This poem has affected my life in so many ways and taught me many things; some of them are as follows: 

1) it has taught me to trust and believe in myself no matter what 2) It has taught me that it is better to attempt something great and fail, then to attempt nothing and succeed and 3) it has inspired me not to let my learning lead to knowledge, but rather to let learning lead to action.

1      

      It has taught me to trust and believe in myself no matter what. Self-worth is one of the most important things needed to be happy and successful. Before my experience with Robert Frost I had lost a woman I thought I was in love with. She tore me apart and stole my self-worth, my confidence. This poem helped me to find and rebuild my inner self. It taught me to be strong and to go after what I wanted most. Not long after reading it I found my loving wife Amy. She put me off for months and made it very difficult to get close to her, but I continued the pursuit of what I wanted no matter how tough she made it. I believed in myself and trusted that feeling I had in my gut that she was the one woman god had made just for me. After one year of dating she made me the happiest man in the world when she accepted my marriage proposal. We now have three beautiful children and after almost ten years of marriage she still has that special twinkle in her eye for me. Because of this one poem I have my other half and can live the rest of my life whole.

2  

            It has taught me that it is better to attempt something great and fail, then to attempt nothing and succeed.  In the spring of 2002 I dropped out of college at Keene State College and thought I was destined for some low paying job and that I would never realize my true potential. After reading this poem I realized that at least I had attempted something great. That my parents were proud that I tried to be the first in the family to get a degree. I also learned that we as humans learn more from our failures then from our triumphs. This lesson has inspired me to reach for the stars and to attempt other great feats. Because of this I am taking English 101 at EMCC and seven or so credits shy of being the first one in my family to earn a college degree. I am no longer stupid or fearful of defeat and I will no longer retreat. I will continue to attempt greatness in everything that I do and inspire those around me to compete.

3   

       It has inspired me not to let my learning lead to knowledge, but rather to let learning lead to action. I have always worked for big companies or for someone else and wondered if I would ever get there myself. We are taught in school to work hard, get a college education and get a good job. This poem has inspired me to be a leader, an individual, to take the hard road. I want to learn as much as I can so I can be the boss, the big business owner not be stuck in the rat race working for them man. I have taken every bit of knowledge I have from school, college, life experience and started my own company. I am putting knowledge to work for me and taking action for a better life. I strive for more knowledge everyday not so I can be smart or use big words in a conversation, but so I can take action and produce results.

Robert Frost said “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” It is as true today as it was a hundred years ago. It may not always be easy; we may not know what awaits us around the bend, success or failure. At least I believe in myself and took action unafraid of failure. I've made the choice to take the path less traveled, and oh what a ride!