Robert Frost’s poem The Road Not Taken has been heralded and used as motivation for independent endeavors for over one hundred years now. Its last three lines are poetry legend:
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”
Ironically, many experts—and Frost himself—have indicated that the poem has been misinterpreted over the years. Frost said he actually wrote it as a way to tease a hiking buddy who was always indecisive about which trail to take when they were out together. Nonetheless, that’s the beauty of poetry and literature in general: intent can lead to meanings beyond the author’s imagination.
It is a great line, though, and when it comes to hiking—and life—it does make you want to find places the masses don’t know about.
Ironies Abound
I suppose it’s also ironic for me to encourage people to seek trails that are less traveled, after writing a book about the increasingly popular 4000-footers of New Hampshire. But there are so many other beautiful places to go—ones that don’t require as much energy as the 4000-footers while still giving you the chance to explore. Because exploration is really what this is all about: exploring the earth and your spirit.
One of my favorite things to do is to tap the map on my phone—wherever I am—and look for a trail nearby. Usually, you can find five or six in the area, all of which lead to something good. If you’re near a town park or city, you might find the trails too crowded, but that’s okay if you have nowhere else to go or no car to get you somewhere farther away. Just because others know about a place, doesn’t take away the fact that it’s new to you. And seeing others out and about has its own rewards.
But if you are able to drive a little farther and find a trail in a more rural or suburban town, away from the cacophony of human voices, I’d wager you’ll hear a voice louder than any other you’ve heard in a long time: your own.
It deserves a listen.