Story: The Fork in the Road
October 29, 2021
When constantly stopping at dead-ends and swaying with the many curves appears to be a way of life for many on our journey. I had struggled to make it back to the fork in the road, after realizing I had taken the wrong path years ago. The proof around my life, the last time I stood at this place, showed I should have gone left instead of right. My arrival back to this place bought with it feelings of exhaustion and anger for the hard work I had put in my life and now having to start over again.
The sign at the fork of the road, which looks larger than I recalled, had flashing neon arrows showing you the choice to choose either road. After the shock of seeing so many people standing at the fork, I assumed they were mostly newcomers. Wanderers trying to determine which path to take in life, with their backpack full of dreams and goals.
When coming back to the beginning it is time consuming, because of retracing steps in my life. There seem to be no space for me to rest without that being a challenge, because so many people were all over the place. Distress, angry and disappointed, had many wandering around in circles, some back for the second time like me. As I was getting ready to sit on a tree stump, someone shoved me. I just looked at the person and walked away. A tree was to the right of me, so I walked over and leaned up against it. The neon sign right under the flashing arrows had a small sign attached. On each road you will live by the decisions you make. I didn’t remember seeing that sign the first time I stood at the fork.
While pondering on the words, two ladies approached me and stood by the tree on each side of me. The one on the right side of me appeared broken by life. I could see her faded clothes, and her shoes had holes in them. She was jingling the sound of coins in her coat pocket.
To my left I could tell this lady had gained a fortune in life. Without speaking a word her smile spoke loud, “I am living a remarkable life.”
As I was turning to inquire how she came into such a wealthy life, the shabby dress woman whispered in my ear “don’t talk to her she is not like us.” Surprise by her remark, I looked at her and replied, “what do you mean us?” “We are not this lady. I can tell you and I have made similar choices in life.”
Somewhat irritated by her assumption, I was getting ready to walk away when I realized another sign under the sign I had just read. On each road you will live by the decisions you make. Leaning forward to read the other sign, Be careful what you accept as a foundation, this will become the substance of your decision. The sources from which you build your life on as you leave this place.
Immediately, a quick flash in my mind showed my life as a dying person’s seeing their life as it is about to end. I leaned back against the tree, trembling after realizing I had filtered most of my adult decisions through my troublesome past into my adult life. It occurred to me that the decisions I had formed my life on was to protect me from people and life.
I understood and turning back to the shabby woman she was no longer there, glancing around I didn’t see her anywhere. “She spoke the truth,” the elegant woman spoke out. “Are you saying if I understand my past I will have richest too?”
“Quit looking at others. Lessons and blessings will come to you throughout your life. There will be an opportunity for you to learn more about yourself, which will create many stepping stones for your future.”
“I am having lots of lessons and few blessings,” I replied? I could tell she was disregarding my remark.
“Fear is the foundation where many start. Most people are carrying fear from their past and wonder why they never move forward. You keep yourself immobile as you become older. Finding you remained in the same spot, afraid to move forward. Everyone around you is progressing, and you wonder why you are not.”
I was paying close attention to every word she said.
” Yet, no matter what you do, she continued, you appear to linger behind your dreams and goals. You have a few accomplishments, which leaves you with the sense there has got to be more to life than this.”
Tears were flowing from both of us.
“I need you to remember this. You may not find any good out of your past, but the positive you can find is that you are no longer there. When we walk and some crawl out of their past, you are giving a fresh opportunity to frame a new course for yourself,” she continued as she reaches for my hand.
. “I can have what you have,” I asked?
“You will have what is yours. Love and forgiveness accompanied with a belief in yourself will guide you.”
“It sounds as if either path will get me where I am supposed to go in life, I responded.”
“You are correct; either direction will offer you the fulfillment you are to have in your lifetime.”
I closed my eyes to meditate on what I had just received. Understanding now, the signs in front of me were clearer.
On each road you will experience the choices you make and be careful what you accepted as a foundation. The substance of your decisions will be the elements from which you develop your life as you leave this place.
There was no need for me to turn to thank the woman because I felt she wasn’t there. Now looking at the signs it puzzled me because I didn’t see any neon lights and what had been two roads in front of me was now a single road. I knew I wouldn’t be coming back here again, because of what I had learned and accepted. I realized it’s not necessarily the path you chose, but how you start your walk on the path will shape and decide how you show up in life?