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Fear
is one BIG, four-letter word! It prevents millions of people making
moves, changing jobs or living life to its fullest. It can be
paralyzing and cause enough anxiety to deplete our sleep or
appetites.
2005
has been awesome - one of the best years of my life. As I enter
2006, I am filled with fear, because I have starry eyes. I believe
anything is possible. I guess, I still believe in Santa Claus,
wishing pools and tooth fairies.
I
believe we have a purpose in life, but finding that purpose is tough
– and once we do – living that purpose is even more difficult.
But, I believe we each have boundless potential – and we make the
decision whether or not to use that potential.
Every
single day is like a new year. Every day is a day to change our
lives, to change our minds, to change directions – and to create
the lives we’ve always dreamed of. I’m scared to death of some
of the decisions I’m making right now, but where would I be if I
kept both feet on the ground all the time? I’ve got to let my head
float into the clouds every once-in-a-while.
When I was
10, my mom made me memorize a poem by Robert Frost and it has
influenced every decision, good and bad, that I’ve made since
then. It’s called “The Road Not Taken.” Here it is in its
entirety:
"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.
"
Happy
New Year.
Melisa Uchida is a
journalist and freelance writer. Contact Melisa at melisauchida@mac.com.
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