Forks

Many of my favourite quotes are from Yogi Berra. You know, the guy who said, "That restaurant is so busy nobody goes there anymore", or, "A nickel ain't worth a dime anymore", or, "Always go to other people's funerals or they wont go to yours". Probably his most famous quote is  "When you come to a fork in the path (road), take it."

We all come to forks in the road, throughout our lives. There are two ways to approach a decision that is a 'fork in the road'. We can look at the path before us and see which one is most navigable, most attractive, and maybe easiest or most fun. Many people do this and wonder later in life what happened.

Then there is the approach that is well illustrated in the above photo. We look beyond the fork. Sometimes what is beyond is evident, but mostly it is something that has to be reasoned out. As you can see in the paths above, there are more forks beyond, and each leads to a different destination. Some people are able to see the destination better than others. Some do not even care, but only want what is immediate, the broad and well travelled path that at the time looks to be the one that will make them happy for the moment.

If important decisions crop up at age 13, and I think they do, then I have now had 50 years in which to assess the choices I made and the paths I took. It often amazes me that what were seen at the time as insignificant choices, were indeed life altering. Some paths are re-traceable, but not many. Usually, there is only a forward arrow, not a 'Return to Go' as in the game of Monopoly.

We do not need Yogi's advice, we will take the fork, even if it means stalling at the junction for a time. What we do need guidance on is which path to follow and an ability to see beyond the junction.