Archive Posted January 30, 2003 Report Posted January 30, 2003 Cheye69 Initiate Posts: 4 (8/9/01 6:40:06 am) Reply The Road not taken (yes I am a Frost fan) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Running from nothing, yet always on the move, it is hard to find the time to sit and reflect on what is most important within a person’s life. Existence is nothing without a life, but how does one truly decide if they are living or just existing? This has bothered me for some time yet like a true procrastinator I have never delved into why it has bothered me. The fine line between happiness and just being content, again the roads not take for fear of fear itself. Unknown territory is hard to venture into, as you don’t know what is going to happen next. Now this doesn’t mean that I have taken the easy road all the time it just means I have taken the one traveled. The road where I already knew what lay at the end of the line. No surprises, no unexpected danger, no unexpected thrill. It has left me with an unexpected feeling of emptiness. What could I truly have accomplished if I hadn’t been afraid to take that chance and wander down an over-grown path? Having had the chance to pass one of these less ventured avenues four years back I paused in the passing and looked as far as my eyes could see. The shroud of darkness seemed to permeate every essence of the area; no sign of life could be seen. Yet, I could not just walk on by. I kept looking, sitting down and camping out for what seemed a month of Sundays. For some reason I could not let this chance slip by me as I had let all the others, the risk of letting it go by outweighed the fear for once in my short life. A curiosity I did not know existed in my being had me taking the first few steps, leaving all that was familiar behind me. Having taken, what I perceived to be only two or three steps, I turned around and a wall of pitch black was behind me. There was no going back, good or bad I would have to take this road now. Old nursery rhymes of ”Curiosity got the Cat” started chanting thru my mind, bringing back all the old feelings of uncertainty. Curiosity was now gone, all that was left was stark unnerving fear. I am ashamed to say it now but I spent about 3 weeks with just my foot in the door unable to move for fear of what would happen next. The possibility of not being able to go back had not entered my mind. What other unexpected happening would occur with just a short little jaunt down a weed infested path? Finally though unable to stay any longer as food was running low and there seemed no store in sight, I knew I needed to move. At this rate anything was better than staying here. Walking slowly with the grace of an elephant I started down the path, moving one branch aside just to get slapped with another one that I hadn’t seen. Luckily these just stung but did no real damage. It seemed I had been walking for eons when ahead in the distance I could see a glimmer of real light. Not the light that flickered thru in broken beams along the path but real unadulterated rays of pristine sunshine that beckoned me ever closer with their welcoming warmth. Now of course I could not feel their warmth from this far away but I had known sunshine before and it was warm, I was sure of it. I could already feel it upon my skin even if only in my mind. Walking with more assurance and ever growing happiness I picked up my pace and before I knew it I was actually running toward this light. Using no forethought of what may be ahead I missed seeing the vines that lay across the path and like all that did not stay true to a course but ran blindly into things I tripped and fell just inches from my destination. Reality came rushing back to the front with the breath knocked out of me. What actually lay beyond this canopy of trees? Turning onto my back I looked to where I knew the heavens should be. With a gasp of surprise I saw a sight that did not just amaze me but filled me with unknown feeling, one I like to now term “experiencing life”. All this time just a few yards above me was the most beautiful canopy of flowers. Strewn along vines that crisscrossed in the tops of the tree. Everywhere I could see had shades of gold and blue, violet and red. One large bloom of orange caught my eye; it was both impressive in size and color. So heavy it seemed that the vine it was attached to actually hung several inches lower than all the others. Standing up, I tried to think of a way to take this token of life with me. This thought did not last long though. I knew somewhere down the line someone else would travel this path. Maybe they would be just as scared and nervous as I. Who was I to take away the one thing that may give them the needed push to walk into the light and experience life, not just live it? With this new found feeling and a fresh out look I started forward those last couple steps. Stepping out of this tangle of trees and vines that once looked scary and forbidding I saw what I had come looking for. A new place to call home that was light years away from the past. A place where new experiences are an everyday joy not to be feared but to bask in and feel with every fiber of your soul. I am no longer just content to watch the world pass me by just because I am safe. Safety is a trap that lets you grow old and die without knowing what you are missing, but knowing you are missing ‘something’. A trap I can now see and avoid. **Anyone into sky-diving?**
Archive Posted January 30, 2003 Author Report Posted January 30, 2003 Ozymandias the Elder Founder Posts: 15 (8/9/01 8:26:49 pm) Reply Re: The Road not taken (yes I am a Poe fan) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wow. And no, I've never tried it. I say again, wow. Ozymandias The Pen is Mightier than the S Ancient I am Ozymandias, king of kings; Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair! -"Ozymandias", P.B. Shelley
Archive Posted January 30, 2003 Author Report Posted January 30, 2003 Yui Temae Quill-Bearer Posts: 40 (8/10/01 8:26:31 am) Reply Re: The Road not taken (yes I am a Poe fan) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yui smiles at an old acquaintance/friend, considering carefully the illuminating words the other had spoken. She finds no response that can convey a good sense of what is now tumbling through her mind, but manages to assemble a weak nothing. "Very thought-provoking, Cheyenne. There are more levels in those few paragraphs than I know how to plumb, but I intend to work towards them. "I do have one comment to make, however. I wanted to clarify that it was actually Robert Frost who wrote 'The Road Not Taken'. Now, that doesn't mean that you can't be a Edgar Allen Poe fan, too, but I thought some members might get confused by the title of your post."
Archive Posted January 30, 2003 Author Report Posted January 30, 2003 Cheye69 Initiate Posts: 7 (8/10/01 10:31:09 am) Reply Re: The Road not taken (yes I am a Poe fan) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Smiles* No problem, it has just been so long since I have gotten to read the poems I so dearly love that I can no longer keep them straight....But yes, I see you are now correct, back at SOB headquarters (light years ago it seems) we had a dicussion on this and I believe it was Cyrilla (although I believe she had to *Shudder in Disgust*) Who pointed the same thing out to me then. Thank you for the reminder. As it turns out, I have a hand written copy of "The Road not Taken" that I did when I was in AP english studying to become an english teacher that I incorrectly put as Poe (That was in 10th grade) I recieved an A on the paper as it concerned symbolism and I went on to interpret how the poem affected me and what I thought the author way trying to convey. This Handwritten version is still on my wall, hence the reason I still don't get the author's name correct. My teacher did not even notice.... Btw, how have you been? It has been a long while since we last talked.
Archive Posted January 30, 2003 Author Report Posted January 30, 2003 Yui Temae Quill-Bearer Posts: 43 (8/10/01 11:08:19 am) Reply Re: The Road not taken (yes I am a Poe fan) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "As always, as ever, I'm quite well, thank you. At this second, I am only avoiding making these lines rhyme through supreme effort of will." Yui grins in amusement, her eyes twinkling. "It seems my poetry is leaking even worse, today... " "It seems like ages ago since we met and (sparsely) spoke. So much is different, now, for me. I suppose time has a way of doing that." Her eyes grow distant at the intrusion of a moment of nostalgia. "Anyway, I hope that you are well, also. I take it you still involve yourself with the distant progeny of the Hall of Justice? I hear things, now and again, about yours and Brute's Seekers of Babylon over in the realm of Blitz Guild..."
Archive Posted January 30, 2003 Author Report Posted January 30, 2003 Cheye69 Initiate Posts: 12 (8/10/01 11:34:57 am) Reply Re: The Road not taken (yes I am a Poe fan) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am still a member but have given up my robes of honor. I no longer lead that mob nor ever wish to lead a guild again. AM had been the one place where even though I was aware of deceit I had not been privy to the beast. During the last reset my natural trust of people got me and my guild into waters that were far over my head and it seems I forgot how to swim as well. I didn't lose my love of the game but I lost my love of the people as I have a hard time putting trust into something that has burned not just myself but mages I call friends. The only reason I haven't quit playing completely is due to promises I made to the mages that have stayed. Once reset is over my AM days are probably going to be over as well. With the trust gone the joy went as well. I am glad to hear you are doing well. Some time past I wanted to sit and speak with you on a number of things but didn't want to intrude as I had heard from Brute how hectic your RL really is. Let's just say you have been in my thoughts for some time now. It is good to see, hear and feel the energy and vibrance coming thru in your writings.
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