“I’ve been lately thinking about my life’s times, all the things I’ve done and how it’s been.” – John Denver, Poems, Prayers and Promises
Have you ever noticed how some things don’t really change? How there are ‘leaders’ and there are ‘followers’ and how the followers very rarely gain enough self-confidence to break from the leaders?
Popularity and acceptance by one’s perceived peers is really important to some. Being able to control the perceptions and beliefs and behaviors of a group is important to some people. Being challenged is threatening to the leaders and the person who challenges is ostracized. The followers accept that and also ostracize the challenger. This is ‘mean girl’ behavior. To find it in adults who protest and say they do not support bullying is, well … I find it amusing.
I particularly find it amusing that the followers merely accept the proclamation by the leaders of the ostracism of the person booted and NEVER ask or seek the other side of the story.
This makes me think of how easy it is to start a stampede of sheep, or why it is illegal to yell ‘fire’ in a crowded theater. Because many people aren’t really able to think for themselves, won’t challenge the actions or words of the leaders of the pack and just blindly follow.
I share with you here a life-changing verse. I hope it has some impact on you!
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
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.[1]
Over coffee, petting my yarn, in the company of my dogs – who can be individuals and not follow the leader! That is all!
