The Road Not Taken

I'm not sure if I have posted this before but in case I haven't, I wanted to share with everyone my favorite poem. I like how it talks about the decisions we make and the impact it can have in our lives.



Note: It's still my favorite poem even after I found out that this was written after Robert Frost contemplated suicide.

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

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.

Ambition

Ambition - an earnest desire for some type of achievement or distinction, as power, honor, fame, or wealth, and the willingness to strive for its attainment.

When I was little, I was always told that I need to have ambition and to always strive for the best. I think it's why I am never happy with being second best. Having the thought of success instilled in my mind at such a young age, I became competitive. I knew that although there are so many things in life that is completely out of our hands, we can still steer our life in the direction we choose. Our drive and our motivation to succeed can sometimes be our only light in life's dark tunnel.

I have actually quit my job recently to focus on school. Some people balk at the thought of this especially in this current economic environment. I, on the other hand, think it's the perfect time to be back in school. Others also have doubts since I'm going into a completely different field. I have a Bachelor's degree in Economics and my mom just announced to the entire family (much to my chagrin) that I am applying for a Master's in Nursing. Why am I applying for a master's when I can just get an associate's degree, some asked. To this I reply, Why would I get an associate's degree when I can get a Master's?

I like challenging myself. I don't like settling for something easy because for me, it defeats the purpose of living. Every day is a challenge - a challenge to be a better person, a challenge to better myself spiritually and intellectually. Yes my job pays well but do I feel fulfilled as an individual? Not really. I know I have a lot more to offer and if I don't push myself, I'll never find out how capable I really am.

After my car accident, I felt my life was crumbling before my very eyes. It took me a while to realize that it took a car accident for me to actually have a better perspective on my life. It took a car accident for me to remember that becoming a nurse was something I wanted since I was 5. It took a car accident to realize that I can take charge of my life and it's never too late to start over. The car accident might have shattered my ulna and radius but it strengthened my drive and my motivation. It wasn't an instant epiphany. The people I surrounded myself with at that time was a big part of finding my way back into reality. The reality that my life isn't ruined because of a stumble (or in this case a car accident). I was given a chance to reevaluate my life and start over to which I am eternally grateful.

You see, ambition and success are not really bad things (although some people see it that way). I think people just need to see where I'm coming from with my decision and not judge right away. To some it might seem like I made a whimsical decision but they should see how much work it is to get where I want to go. It's not an easy task. But then again, no one ever said success comes easy (or cheap).

Excuse my lack of posts...

I'm still getting used to my new schedule - which means packing in GRE review classes on top of work and Psych class. I think on top of packing in extra stuff into my schedule, the studying part is throwing me for a loop. So until I figure this out, this blog will probably be on the back burner. Sorry. :(

Wish me luck though!!!

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LIFE

Life is opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is costly, care for it.
Life is wealth, keep it.
Life is love, enjoy it.
Life is a mystery, know it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.

Life is a series of struggles that can only be defined by how we overcome it.

This might be a little sentimental but sometimes we have to pause and take a breather and realize that life is not all about work. Sometimes this brief pause will help us realize how blessed we have truly been. Whining about how sucky life is will not make it better and it will only make you feel worse. We have to be cognizant and appreciative of what we have in order to fully enjoy life's blessings.