Roads Less Travelled with More Water.

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.

~Robert Frost
excerpt from The Road Not Taken


Sometimes I feel like Frost; taking a road that seems to be deserted save for me, at times. My life hasn't taken the road most others take in life. Most people have a set creed, travelling through high school, then on to college, career, marriage, a long domestic and professional life, then retirement. I haven't followed in the least. My life has been a series of random and haphazard adventures, strung together with the tenuous thread of a difficult childhood and the adhesive of an undying determination to succeed at glorifying God and enjoying Him forever.

My only regret is being 25 years old and having no direction or inclination of what to do with my life. It keeps me awake at night.

- Here is a small tip for all of you who are blessed not to work in retail, and wind your way through all the glorious aisles of goodies at your favorite retail center. When you come upon an aisle that is blocked by a pallet of bottled water and one or two workers who are busy stocking it, do not assume that loud sighs and clearing your throat will alert them to the fact that they are impeding your progress. Ask us to make way for you to get through. We're already self-concious of the fact that we're in way, and we desperately don't wish to be, so if you ask, I'm sure that you will be facilitated by a ready smile and apology.

- Matthew and I were stocking water the other night, and this old man traversed the aisle with his grandsons. The oldest grandson was a college student home for the holidays, dragging the relectant grandfather and younger brother along for critical supplies. The grandfather watched in horror as his grandson procurred a case of bottled water, and proceeded to dress him down on the spot, citing a "sinkfull of water at home" and "drinking well water in the Depression" as prime reasons why good money should not be wasted on water in a bottle. the grandsons fought back with the "quality of [Cameron's] city water" and "excessive carbon and chemicals" as the reasons for buying the water.

As the pair exited the aisle, old man looked at Matt and I, and said boldly so everyone could hear, "I've drunk water for 67 years, and I've never bought water in a bottle. May God save us all."

For some reason, it made my day. Maybe it was the generational dissent, or the humor, but ultimately, his vintage and frugal reasoning made me smile, and made me wish for 1936 for some reason.

- The Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburg Steelers are going to the Super Bowl. May the best team {*cough* the Cardinals} win!