Or do we take the road less traveled?  It’s not nearly as secure. It's narrow and unpaved, with blind corners and abrupt edges, and requires that you watch for rocks beneath your feet as you make your way carefully along the dirt pathway.  But it too can be very safe, you just need to be mindful of the possible dangers and avoid them.  At the same time you must keep your eyes out for any unexpected fantastic sights that'll fill you with wonder and awe.  For me it's these awe-inspiring occurrences that makes taking the less traveled way my preferred direction.

My choice of lightly trodden routes throughout my life has led me to many byways that others have not discovered, because they have chosen to stay on the beaten path.  Don’t get me wrong, there are dangers here too, although most are easily discernable and avoidable.  But if thrills are what you desire, they can be experienced along with fellow travelers to make these activities feel at the same time safe and exhilarating.  Bungee jumping comes to mind here, or hang gliding.  There is an element of danger, but there is a feeling of security in watching many others ahead of you do it safely.

I, for one, don’t find this type of excitement at all attractive.  Instead, I prefer to select pathways that lead primarily to beauty, serenity, and communion with nature and with other likeminded fellow travelers.  By these choices I have had experiences that I can look back on and feel that they are once in a lifetime happenings, rare events that I managed to catch at just the right time. For instance, arriving just after 5am one cold and foggy February morning, I stood alone at Pt St George and watched as many thousands of geese appeared out of the mist. They darkened the pre-dawn sky as they flew in wave after wave in perfect formation just above my head, honking loudly and flapping their wings in unison as they headed across the waters of Pelican Bay toward the nearby pastures to feed.  Very few other folks were there to observe this extraordinary display of nature at its finest.  This was undeniably a scenic wonder along the road less traveled, and one that is now not even available, since many of the geese have chosen other places to prepare for their trip north to the Aleutian Islands.  

Many people have told me I'm “lucky” to have had so many interesting adventures like this.  But I believe it was my angels, working behind the scenes throughout my life to provide me with such opportunities.  I am sure that it was their guidance that has encouraged me to always take a chance on the unknown by choosing roads less traveled.  And by doing this I have had a very colorful and fulfilled life without finding it necessary to stray far from my comfort zone.