I read a helpful blog post by a young writer last week, it was on decision making (here). It was just lovely to see a young person writing a helpful post that clearly described her thinking on a topic, it showed a deliberate intention to cover in two minutes a topic. As important however, I think it showed a maturity of thought about decision making, why it is important and how we can make better decisions. Regardless of career, of class, of race and nationality we all need to make decisions everyday and being able to make better decisions is a worthwhile investment.
I have been walking more since lockdown and walking alone which I think is an important aspect to mention. Walking alone with the intention of meditating or thinking clearer. I posted on the importance of walking to think previously (here) and so I build on that here today.
When walking on my own I try and walk aimlessly at times, to not have a specific purpose or destination. In doing do I am often taken to a fork in the path, a decision to be made as if I turn left or right. I am always reminded of the poem by Robert Frost;
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
The road less taken, Robert Frost
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
I think of that poem often if I am honest, it need not be on a walk, it can be whenever or wherever I am supposed to make a decision. A decision which I know I cannot do over, or even if I could it will be ‘ages and ages hence’ til I return and then it will not be the same decision and I will not be the same man. Regret and indecision, small choices often lead to large consequences as we twist and turn through our lives. Every decision made, every decision not made.
When I met that last fork most recently, I stopped, I thought of the billions of decisions, ultimatums and blind luck that got me to this moment. Our ancestors made many choices and had choices made for them, nature also had its own way of choosing, all of those decisions over the history of time saw that I arrived at this moment, this fork in the road.
This seemingly inconsequential fork in a road with a decision required, how wonderful life is, how bright and colourful, how unique and fleeting is the moment.
“One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree. “Which road do I take?” she asked. “Where do you want to go?” was his response. “I don’t know,” Alice answered “Then,” said the cat, “it doesn’t matter.”
Alice in wonderland – lewis carroll
Sea's The Day 