I’ve Hit A Fork In The Road

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~~The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost

As I write this post, I’m being serenaded by a cacophony of crickets chirping as the full, white moon rises over the tops of the sycamore trees just outside my window. Once again I am awe-struck by the sights and sounds of nature.
Sitting as I am tonight, writing by the glow of the moon and my laptop’s screen, I can’t help but reflect on life, happiness and what matters most. It is no coincidence I am having these thoughts on the anniversary of 9/11.
I watched the live coverage of the memorial service at Ground Zero today while I was at work. I had a box of tissues handy, thank goodness, as I used them quite often. Through all the images I saw today, the ones that touched me the deepest were the scenes of families who lovingly and tearfully stroked their loved ones names inscribed on the memorial wall.
The sight of all the emotions and the memories associated with 9/11 have swirled about my head for hours.
What it did for me is help me remember how I lived my life right after the tragedy. I saw each day differently. I took nothing for granted. I focused on being with my family and living my life in a way that made me happy, not what made anyone else happy.
Right after 9/11 I made the decision to move out of my own studio apartment and move back in with my parents in order to move with them from Illinois to Florida. It was a life-changing decision, and a few people told me I was foolish to give up my independence and move back in with my parents. To move across country on a whim.
But inside, I knew that Florida held something great for me. I had a gut-feeling I’d meet my future husband there (which I did within two years of moving). I also discovered my love of writing, after neglecting it for years.
It was there that I started writing my first book, Finding Justus, and got my degree in Journalism.
So, here I am again, feeling the emotions and reliving the memories of tragedy only to remind myself that I’m not living the life I want. Although I am writing after neglecting it(again) for a couple of years. With that reflection to guide me, and a blog post that felt like it was written just for me, I chose today as the day to make a pivotal step toward my future.
I submitted my written resignation notice to my bosses this afternoon. That’s right, two weeks is all that stands between me and full-time writerhood.
It is no coincidence I gave my notice today. And yes, there is a small part of me that’s a little scared, but I know I am doing the right thing.
My freelance has started taking off, and I have several book ideas in my head. If I want to write, and make my living that way, I have to take this leap. I can’t continue to straddle both worlds, the world of a full-time day job and writing freelance, books and this blog.
So I chose. And I know I made the right choice.