the path

robert frost wrote about the path that diverged in the woods, the one we always--and repeatedly--come to in our lives. i find myself staring down the diverged path once again. with each path comes a slew of consequences, some obvious and some not so clear. i'm tempted, as some may be, to blindly plow down the path that wins the eenie-meenie-minie-mo contest. damned the consequences and just take whatever may come. yet, my sensible side insists that it would be more prudent and potentially more to my own benefit to carefully weigh my options before choosing which path to follow. how exactly is it that we make such decisions? considering past experiences, future desires, immediate vs. delayed gratification, and even considering what might be expected of you in such a situation? do i want to please myself or someone else? am i out to impress? is my ultimate goal to achieve all my goals no matter the consequences? what exactly are my goals? don't they evolve right along with us throughout life? if that is that case, what have my goals evolved into? what have I evolved into?
so as i sit here on a rock at the point where the path diverges in the woods, i ponder these choices that lay before me, partially grateful to be able to make my own choices and partially longing for the days of youthful naivity when there were no life altering decisions, only adventures to be pursued.