Throughout our lives, we make decisions.
For many people, critical decisions — our friends, what college to attend, what major and career to choose, our study habits — come in the teenage years.
Later on, we also make choices that have life-altering effects. Robert Frost wrote a poem, "The Road Not Taken," about these kinds of choices.
I thought about my life choices after recently reading this poem. Do I have regrets? Would I change some of my choices? Do I wish I had taken a different road than the one I traveled?
Do you, upon reflection, wish you had taken a different direction? Do you regret the road not taken, or as Mr. Frost concluded, did the road you chose "make all the difference?"
We may wish our lives had been easier, with fewer obstacles, but consider the fact that obstacles make us grow; they sharpen our critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
When we chisel obstacles out of our way, we become stronger; those obstacles help shape our character and the experience gives us wisdom.
No one — no matter how famous, talented or rich — gets through life without obstacles. We all face burdens; we just choose how we will handle them.
Will we embrace them, avoid them, or resolutely face them head on and chisel them out of the way?
Will we tackle them on our own, or will we pray and ask the Lord for guidance and friends to help us?
Learn from obstacles and allow them to shape your character, increase your knowledge, stamina, patience and attitude.
Janice Lynn Crose, a retired accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CROSE: Considering the road not taken