The Road Less Traveled

This morning I woke up with the sun and decided to go for a hike at Sabino Canyon. I thought of Robert Frost. Remember his poem: Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveller, 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 I faced a dilemma--I always enjoy the hike up the paved path at Sabino. Lots of people take it, there are restrooms and water at regular intervals, and I feel good about making the entire round trip, which is 8 miles. I hardly ever take the road less traveled when I go for walks (by myself anyway). I know that I might be missing some special experiences that might help me grow, yet I keep to my habits. Today, as I set off up the paved path, I thought about why I liked it so well. As I passed the same scenery, I noticed something I'd never seen before or noticed how the landscape has changed with the season. Today, for example, the creek beds were completely dry. There was more shade, which changed the light. The cacti were in different stages of development than last spring when I made the same walk. But most important, I recognized some of the regulars who always walk the same path. Today I had a nice conversation with a very fit senior who jogged the whole path every day. He stopped to point out some of his favorite rock formations. I noticed how he would greet the many people he knew along the same route. It seems to me that hiking the same path is a lot like hanging out with old friends. We have some of the same experiences together over and over, but cherish our time together and support each other when we stumble or come face-to-face with a snake across our path. I will take some of the other paths at Sabino eventually, but for now, I appreciate the path most taken. PS Larry would say that I don’t take other paths there because I’m afraid of coming face-to-face with a mountain lion or African killer bees. There is some truth in that….