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which path?

The Road Not Taken (Frost, Robert)


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.
 
third man girl said:
When making a monumental decision, should you follow your heart or your head?

TMG
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Depends on the decision you're about to make. Personally I believe in using your head when making decisions, but also in havign your head considering how your heart will feel afterwards.

For instance: My heart doesn't love the man but marrying him will be smart because he has money and connections and whatnot. My head will consider him a nifty catch but my head will also know that my heart would never survive such a marriage and thus my head rationally decides that it's a bad idea.

Did that make any sense? What sort of decision where you thinking of?
 
The 'heart' is just the part of our head that represents our feelings, dreams, vulnerability etc. So one way or the other you will be using your head.

My advice is to step back and chill. When I have to make a difficult choice I get really caught up in it. Alot of things (like pride or stubborn learned emotions) may be affecting me that don't really have any real bearing in this decision.

Ideally we should always do what is best for ourselves in the long run. But in reality we don't have control over what will happen in the future. I mean what someone thinks is the best for him may turn out to be meaningless in a few days.

In my experience alot of my most positive choices have come from realizing I don't want something negative in my life, letting go of my control over the situation, and making a change.

If you elaborated on the subject of this decision I'm sure alot of people could give more specific advice. But that's up to you.
 
Stewart said:
The Road Not Taken (Frost, Robert)


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.
Click to expand...

That one is good to read every time.:)
 
Strictly use my head. I usually will make a "Pro" list and "Con" list when making decisions. I will usually cut emotion out of decision making, since emotions change all the time. Of course, people have told that I am logical to a fault.

Lets go for head!! Think it through!

By the way Stewart, thankyou for posting that poem. I have always loved it and it is truly wonderful.
 
You've got to listen to the heart. The head can always rationalise the 'easy' solution, but that may not be what you know, deep down in your heart, is the 'right' or 'fair' solution. It's a balance. Neither can be ignored, but they both have to agree in the end.
 
third man girl said:
...should you follow your heart or your head?
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Heart: the physical beating organ in your chest, or the metaphorical one?

Head: the one up top, or the one below?
 
Kookamoor said:
It's a balance. Neither can be ignored, but they both have to agree in the end.
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This is a very good point - though I feel with me it is the other way round. I know in my head what the rational and logical path would be, but trying to get your heart to agree may be a different matter :(

Thanks for posting the poem Stewart - there are very few I like but that is one of them :)
 
Unfortunately, my heart rules my life meaning my mind has a lot of cleaning up to do generally.

Hence, why I am here in the US and not in AU.

Tsk tsk, me.
 
Thank you for the poem, Stewart. It is a favourite of mine too. Frost is propped on my bookshelf behind me. He has such a sad face, so perhaps the road less traveled was the wrong choice for him.

I was interested in ALL the replies. Thank you. I didn't elaborate on the subject of the decision, because then judgement and morals and logic would have crept in and played havoc with your replies. And the subject matter is about emotions, hopes and dreams. Not about realities.

I should follow my instinct. But my instinct is just as confused as my heart and head right now.

TMG
 
Ice said:
This is a very good point - though I feel with me it is the other way round. I know in my head what the rational and logical path would be, but trying to get your heart to agree may be a different matter :(
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Good point, it depends on the situation. Right now I'm trying to follow my heart and my head is producing all sorts of rational reasons not to... but I know *deep down* that my heart is right. On the flip-side, there are many times that my heart may have ambitions in one direction, but my head needs to supply the reality check that this may not actually be possible.

I think it's important that one assess the situation and ensure that they both agree in the end. It's the only way to ensure that you pass through life without regret. You may later wish for one thing or another, but if you choose what you *think* is the best path at the time you can't blame yourself for a lack of forethought in any situation.
 
Always the heart. Always take the parth with the heart.

If you live with your head you will walk a safe path. You won't run and jump just for the joy, you won't dance in the freezing storm rain, you will take no risks and do nothing foolish. You will exist, nothing more.

You never try, you will never know. If you live with your heart and chase foolish dreams and true love, then whatever happens you will have felt something. You will have truely lived. Sure, you will get hurt living the way of the heart, in the end, isn't it worth it?

If you live with the head you will take no risks, you will gain no scars on your heart, you will go nowhere, you will be blind to the wonder and the magic of the world. If you live with your heart you will do foolish things, you will hurt and you will bleed and you will gain scars on your heart, body and soul, but you will be ALIVE. And there is always the chance that if you follow your foolish dreams, your heart, be it a wild romance, or be it dancing in a storm naked, or be it owning that dream boat, or opening that book store that it will come true and you will glow like the stars that you yearn for. Follow your heart, your dreams, your love... always.

I think Hemingway said it best: In going where you have to go and doing what you have to do, and seeing what you have to see, you dull and blunt the instrument you write with. But I would rather have it bend and dulled and know I had to put it on the grindstone and hammer it into shape and put a whetstone to it, and know I had something to write with, than to have it bright and shining and have nothing to say, or smooth and well oiled in the closet, but unused.

On a personal note, as one that has followed the path of the heart and because of it been smashed and broken and known pain... it was always worth it. I regret nothing. :)
 
Kook - Nope. Just having a break from reality. I have run away from my career (unpaid leave), University (will continue when I return) and my marriage (yeah, I know). I am 'finding' myself, for lack of a better phrase and I hope it happens soon as I am getting a mite hungry...

Funny thing, here I am in the US going for a job at an Australian Bakery today... how ironic! I miss Oz something fierce!
 
Geenh said:
Funny thing, here I am in the US going for a job at an Australian Bakery today... how ironic! I miss Oz something fierce!
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Sorry to hear all is not well, but I applaud your looking for something better. My best thoughts are with you :).

Australian Bakery?? Oh, what I wouldn't give for one of them here... homemade meat pies and pasties... donuts with real jam inside... apple cakes... bread that the baker will slice for you... pizza rolls... chocolate croisants... and bagels that are fluffy, not dense... Ohhhhhhh!! Two and a half months to go! Hope you get the job, though you'd certainly have to work on resisting temptation!!
 
Wabbit said:
And there is always the chance that if you follow your foolish dreams, your heart, be it a wild romance, or be it dancing in a storm naked, or be it owning that dream boat, or opening that book store that it will come true and you will glow like the stars that you yearn for. Follow your heart, your dreams, your love... always.
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Thank you, Wabbit. I love your words. And everything you have said is so true. Eventually, I could only ever follow my heart in any case. I want to feel that glow again. But, God, it hurts so much.

TMG x
 
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