The Road Not Taken

I did it. I started the tradition for my Dad's birthday, January 18.

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.

Robert Frost is so easy to like, to listen to, to remember; I started easy by picking this classic piece.

But as easy as the words are, I was kind of perplexed by the potential meaning. Mostly, that he first thinks both roads are equally lovely, but then decides the second was nicer; but then recants that they actually do look just the same. And after all that, being so glad he chose that second road--the one that looked just like the first. Why on earth has that "made all the difference" then?

But yesterday I realized my decision-making usually goes about that way:
"There are two roads in my kitchen: fettuccine or the frozen pizza.
I could buckle down and make the fettuccine.
Or I could throw in the pizza.
Fettuccine is probably a little healthier.
Actually, neither is very healthy.
Well, both have grain, dairy and I add veggies, right?--maybe they're both on an equal nutritional plain.
Both need to be eaten eventually...
The pizza. I'll do the pizza.
And after this long tiring day, that has made all the difference."

I guess I do get it.