Chapter 3: 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"-Robert Frost
Growing up is something everyone wants to do when they're younger but once your an adult you wish you could just go back to the simpler days when your hardest choice to make was chocolate or vanilla ice cream. While being an adult has its advantages, it can sure be stressful. So far from my young adult experience, it feels like growing up is nothing but a bunch of difficult decisions...(and watching a bunch of Netflix to avoid all your responsibilities).
Last week my friend Rachel and I took a much needed trip to Chimney Rock where she let me take some portraits of her. I was having a tough time deciding what I wanted the theme of her blog post to be so I asked her what her thoughts were. Rachel being the deep thinker she is, said that since we took pictures by water, which represents reflection, I should write about that. Which is actually a perfect subject to introduce Rachel because she is getting ready to finish her last semester at our local community college and move on to her next part of her journey. So she has spent a lot of time reflecting on who she has become and who she plans to become.
Rachel is finishing her degree in the Associates of Arts program and will be transferring to a four year university to get a degree in archaeology. She has worked hard to accomplish the things she has so far and if there is one thing I know about Rachel its that she won't let anything get in her way.
Achieving milestones is always an exciting time in one's life. In the end you look back on all the things that helped you get to where you got to. You can't help but wonder if you had done things differently if you would still have gotten to where you ended up, even though you're just happy to be where you are.
As Rachel has been applying to different schools she has been looking back on the things that have made her who she is today.
"I've been thinking about how my pathway has not been traditional being home schooled until high school then going to community college instead of straight to a four year university. But I have still achieved a lot and learned a lot"- Rachel.
"The choices you make today will be the choices that affect who you are tomorrow" is a quote that as a young adult you hear quite frequently. Probably because it is so true. It's something you don't really realize until you start to compare your past to the present and see how everything you have been through has made you who you are.
Growing up isn't just about reflecting on your past though. It's also about looking forward and not being afraid to take the next step.
One of the hardest parts about growing up is the people who doubt your decisions. Which is something everyone is going to encounter in their life. The best way to deal with these people is turn their doubt into inspiration to strive. When people doubted Rachel's choices she turned to the poem "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost.
So you can't let others make your choices for you. It is your life and you have to choose how you live it. Even if it means.... taking the road not taken.
With that being said, I wish Rachel the happiest of adventures as she finishes her last semester at her community college and the best of wishes as she takes the next steps of her life. I will cherish all the memories we have and the ones we continue to make.
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Before I end this blog post I would like to send Rachel a huge thank you for letting me play photographer and take pictures of her! And also for being patient as I prepared this post. She really is a true friend and if anyone ever encounters the chance to get to know her; take it! you definitely won't regret it! I hope everyone is having a fantastic July so far! And if anyone would like to read the full poem: "The Road Not Taken" you can find it here:
Until next time, Thanks for putting up with my horrible grammar and reading my post!
-K
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