In a book that I was reading I came across a poem written by Robert Frost. I knew the author because I really liked the poem.

The Road Not Taken

By Robert Frost

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.

I am sure that most of you can remember being at a crossroads in your life. There was a choice to be made. Each had its consequences. The poem goes on to say “I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. How many of us were daring enough to choose the road less traveled?

Life is a journey. We go from event to event often not realizing the consequences. We are so busy with the journey that we do not spend time on our decision.

Before I met my first husband, I was nearly engaged to a young man that I met as a blind date. He was attending the University of Notre Dame along with a friend of mine. The friend brought him home and set up the date.

We instantly hit it off and started writing. During the next summer I made a trip to St. Charles, Ill. I was a guest at his parents’ home for a week. I met his parents and his brother, and two sisters. We continued to write.

I went to Notre Dame on several occasions for dances. I recall attending a football game there. I guess that love got the best of him as he nearly flunked out of school and had to attend summer school the next summer.

I can understand why his folks were upset, but we were happy. He gave me a miniature (a ring that was a promise for engagement). That fall, all communication stopped and I did not know why. I tried to call him, but he never answered. I am a face-to-face person so I wanted to bite the bullet and go to see him. I made a reservation at a hotel and planned my stay there.

I guess I finally came to my senses and realized that he just did not care for me anymore. I canceled everything and stayed home.

The night I was to be gone a friend really wanted to go out. I went out with her. That was the night that I met Dick. I could not believe that this man with the beautiful blue eyes was not attached. We visited and exchanged telephone numbers. He called before the next weekend and we made plans to go out.

The rest is history. We fell in love and married two years later. If I had not canceled my plans who knows what my life would have been like. If I had not gone out that night who knows where I would have ended up. This was a life decision that I believe was orchestrated by God. Only He could have known how to knit our lives together.

Fast forward 50 years — my second love story was not instant love. We went out for three years before I knew I was in love. Don had been part of the family, married to my first husband’s aunt. He had taken the video of my first wedding. At first, I was troubled with the relationship. It just did not seem right. I lost a lot of sleep over it, but once again the Lord knew what we both needed.

We attended church together. We went to class reunions. He stopped often for coffee. God knit our lives together and we married.

My roads diverged and I took the one less traveled. Some told me I was brave to marry again and with an older man yet. Was I brave or foolish? Only time would tell.

God knew that COVID was ahead. He knew that we would need each other. If not for being married he would have been in Russell and I would have been up here alone. Those three years were some of the happiest ones of my life.

When you marry at our age life is much simpler. The children are raised. Money woes are behind you. Your home is ready to be lived in. Don truly lived until he died. Life together was enjoyable.

Do not fail to heed God’s call. He knows what lies ahead and will not steer you wrong.

Ann Swanson writes from her home in Russell, Pa. Contact at hickoryheights1@verizon.net.