forkiosity [26 novembre 2006]

there you are at the fork. same old thing - two paths, two choices. if you do this thing, you can't do that other thing.

you can see a little ways down both roads. down one, there's a rainstorm, and down the other, it's all sunshine & blue skies. you've been travelling long enough to know the weather's always changing and just because it's raining now, doesn't mean it will be raining later. rainstorms are sometimes very short. sometimes refreshing & cleansing. sometimes, though, the rain is a setback - forcing you to stop for a while, seek shelter. sunshine can be deceiving, too - unfriendly, scorching. so, the weather's not a deciding factor because it changes, it's deceiving.

consider the geography. one path goes uphill - the other is flat. you really can't see far enough to tell if the pattern holds. sometimes flat is so boring that it's just not worth the ease. hills are challenging, but only through challenge will you grow. on the other-other hand, if the hills are too big, they'll defeat you.

you might be able to go a little ways down a path, and turn back if it's not working out, but that's not dependable. proceeding changes your perspective, and you can't count on finding the fork again. even a few steps can remove turning-back as an option.

you could go off road, blaze your own trail. that's appealing in thought, but doesn't often pan out in practice. too much work for too little reward. easy to go totally wrong and fall in a snakepit or run up against an angry bear. sometimes there's a chance to go offroad, in a kind of controlled offroad situation - a limited engagement, if you will. better to get a few more of those under your belt before taking off totally on your own.

so - - you'll choose a road this time, and there they still are, waiting. the flat one is growing a hill and the rainstorm is slacking. the birds are singing over here, but over there, there are horses. funny thing is, if you don't move and choose one, they will both change into something else, and you will still have to choose. you never get out of the choosing.

you can choose not to choose, but that's still a choice.