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, 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 marked 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.
Robert Frost
This poem continue to be popular as its sentiments ring true for those who chose the less traveled road. Never an easy choice, definitely not for those who wish to lead a comfortable life. Conformity in Malaysia for Malaysians comes at the price of integrity and principles at times. To those who rock the boat especially the Mufti of Perlis and Yasmin Ahmad, I salute you. We tend to forget the lessons that Prophet Khidhir taught Moses; not everything is obviously laid out, not all choices are so simple or clear. But our guiding principle should always be that He knows Best being All-Knowing. We should adhere to the spirit of Islam (tolerance, forgiveness, trust) even if it comes at the price of being different and a non-conformist in a closed and stagnant society. The path is less traveled but it is not crooked..
