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"The
Road Not Taken"
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 onto 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 |
| over-achievers
without-trying |
| Cindy
who was blessed with all of these qualities: beauty, brains and brood
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There
are people in this world that are born very lucky; when the
angels and heavenly bodies looked upon them, they granted some people
beauty, some with brains, and a lucky few received a loving home
that provided good brooding too. I have a friend, Cindy, who was
blessed with all of these qualities: beauty, brain and brood. For
the past 14 years, no matter what I do or where I am, she has influenced
me, and she'll always be a part of me.
Whatever
Cindy did, she was good at it. She was one of those over-achievers
without-trying, kind of person: Class President, Winner of the
Ernest Hemmingway English Award, Winner of the History Award, Symphony
Band President and Scholarship Recipient, music scholarship to Yale
University and making the Dean's List with a 3.5 and above GPA every
term. As a student, she was always quiet, shy and never boastful.
She's never angry or upset at anybody or anything and always had
a way to make other people feel important. Her days were spent reading
Shakespeare, drinking Earl Grey Tea and listening to soft classical
music by Bach in the background.
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| she
once told me she would have felt she didn't really lived a full life
if she didn't give her dream a chance.
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She's
incredible, amazing and talented in her art of playing the oboe.
Her ambitious dream was to make it into an established city symphony
orchestra. Of course the chances of making it to that level
was fiercely competitive. Cindy tried, knowing that she might fail
and see 15 years of practice blowing her reed and driving to private
lessons evaporate into nothing, but she once told me she would have
felt as if she didn't really live a full life
if she didn't give her dream a chance.
I
respected her integrity and commitment. And now as I sit here typing
away into my computer after visiting her small one-bedroom apartment
with a leaky rusty bathroom faucet on the fourth-floor of Queens,
N.Y. she shares with her husband (also a music major) of four years,
I think to myself sadly, she didn't make it. Her dream of
playing in an orchestra never came true. She never became a famous
oboe player or played beautiful music by Beethoven or Bach. Her
oboe is packed in its case, stored away in the attic collecting
dust, because she has to work a regular job to pay the rent and
can't survive chasing her dream. What she ended up with is a $50,000
debt from Yale University, even with scholarship. Her current job
is ironic; she works behind the scene in the fund raising department
of the Metropolitan Opera. Her dream was to play up front in the
orchestra, not behind the scenes. As the years passed, her practicing
of her music became less and less and eventually stopped. And I
wonder, were all those years of practicing, training and expenses
worth it?
She
smiled at me, pet her cat and answer without hesitation,
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"yes."
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| "If
a rose bloomed but no one had the chance to smell it and appreciate
it, at least it had the chance to bloom, to live its life."
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If
she never tried she would never have met her husband or had the
chance to live in New York and see great operas and listen to other
people play in the orchestra.
"What?
You don't feel a hint of jealousy towards those who made it?"
I
asked.
"No, I had
the chance to try. Besides I try to look at the bright side, if
I made it, my marriage probably wouldn't, with all that touring
and odd hours."
"How about all
the money and time you put into it?"
"It made
me a richer person, it really did. I don't regret a moment of my
life."
"And you
don't feel like it's a waste…"
"If a
rose bloomed but no one had the chance to smell it and appreciate
it, at least it had the chance to bloom, to live its life."
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| And
life is that way, a gamble |
| What
we are taught is that an occupation that brings high money also brings
high security and fulfillment. We are
instilled in the belief that that is what we must accomplish. In a
way, money is a necessity for a certain amount of security of food
and shelter, but it is not always a fulfillment. Fulfillment
is to answer to a yearning in your soul to do what move and inspires
you. |
 As
for my friend Cindy, she felt fulfilled to have had the chance
to try, to take that gamble in life. True, she didn't become financially
successful, but she did have the chance to learn, appreciate and fulfill
her desire to study what she loved. I would have been happy for her
if she made it, but in a way she has made it. She appreciates the
life she has chosen without regret, bitterness or sadness but content
with the personal richness of a simple home, a loving husband and
the pleasure to at least be around what she loves. Her life has
not been a waste. She had a chance to bloom, ' and that has made all
the difference.'
Written by: Areeya Chumsai
Design :
Putt
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| Your
comments |
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Sawadee Krupp!
I like this page very much!!!!
I personally think that I am in love with Thailand. I am in love with
the people, food, places, art, literatureand history of Thailand, the
land of free people. I am non-Thai Doctor who stayed in Bangkok for a
couple of months.
Long live Thaiand
nitnoy
nitnoy <nitnitnoy@yahoo.com>
from cf1-19.isu.net.sa on Saturday, April 15, 2000 at 04:03:54
I like the page, one thing that turned
me on about it was the fact i like Robbert Frost. :-).
David <Mavamos@i-plus.net>
from 164.106.123.116 on Thursday, April 06, 2000 at 03:49:04
This is what I got after I read your
story.
I think the definition of success in life
depends on what we expected it to be, what we
really want from our lives. Someone told me
that this world is not always fair - you
tried something so hard, it doesn't mean that
you will always get what you want. I agree with
that but I also think that happiness doesn't
have to come when we are successful, it might come
when you enjoy what you're doing. Like your friend,
she loves music, it doesn't mean that she must
be a famous musician to be happy and I think
she knows very well how to enjoy her life.
jarurat <jarurat@u.washington.edu>
from icarus.aa.washington.edu on Saturday, January 08, 2000 at 08:28:43
Please pass this message to Areeya
Sirisowpa (if this is a different person) as the guestbook at the homepage
doesn't work.
I think that I detect some malice in her life story and perhaps she should
be less self-proud and listen more to your writings.
Thais do laud other Thais who have studied in the West and lived there
and this alone can offer great possibilities on their return. However
this, both from the point of view of having been taken to the USA as a
child (did not choose this path herself) and from the aspect of Thai culture
that elevates such returning Thais to such a high status, should simply
make her feel thankful and lucky. Many people work just as hard and study
etc but may not be treated with such awe despite all of their great qualities
and achievements. It never looks good to be too over-indulgent in one's
good fortune for you never know when life may turn on itself and make
you humble again.
Money and physical beauty aren't everything.
Fate that brought you to where you are and the reaction which makes your
life subsequently comfortable - despite all of the unfortunate people
around you who don't have such easy security - should not be taken for
granted or used for egotistical purposes.
Paul <thiravada@yahoo.com>
from p-41-virgin1.tch.virgin.net on Saturday, December 11, 1999 at
18:21:57
I've always loved this poem as one
of my favourite ever poems from school way back.
It has also come true as I took a road less travelled by - meeting someone
in an unexpected place and time and falling in love - and it has made
all the difference.
Paul <thiravada@yahoo.com>
from p-41-virgin1.tch.virgin.net on Saturday, December 11, 1999 at
17:56:51
This is a sad story in a way. I think
that people who study hard and try their best should have a chance of
begin succsessful. I enjoy you work very much. It's good to know that
there are some talent people out there. You also sound like you're a down
to earth person unlike some other celebrity.
Question for you: What is the next thing that you want to do beside writing?
Are you coming back to visit the U.S something soon?
I hope you do. If you have time please answer my questions I would appriciate
it:-)
bye lan
lan <lan22rsa@hotmail.com>
from s072.sci1.stthomas.edu on Friday, September 24, 1999 at
22:57:29
Areeya,
I am a successful American guy, and yet I am touched by your literary
art work. I am a lover of people, of the human spirt. I am unique and
one of a kind. Do you recognize an unfortunate theme? Yes, I am self-centered.
Taken one step beyond this level of maturity, I ask: could you please
tell me what you know about selflessness? There must be something I can
learn. Perhaps eternal love itself.
Sincerely,
Richard
Richard Moss
<Richmmoss@aol.com>
from spider-tn034.proxy.aol.com on Tuesday, July 13, 1999 at 10:51:22
Hello Ms. Areeya Chumsai,
How are you doing?? 8) I've only read two of your written works but already
I respect and agree with your opinions. You are a talented person and
very high in confidence. You are strong mentally. Glad to know that there
are people who have similar qualities. I read your "Definition of a Strong
Women", somehow I was satisfied after reading it.
Well, I look forward to reading more of your works.
Roxanne in Cali.
Roxanne Witayaphum
<Cher0obic@aol.com>
from spider-wl034.proxy.aol.com on Thursday, June 17, 1999 at 02:13:15
Dear Mrs. Chumsai,
I very much enjoyed this latest story and in a way it clarifies your views
on life which in the past seemed somewhat hard and without compassion
after I read "The Suicide Note". Perhaps the "weak" farmer should have
chosen another road to take rather than suicide. Maybe we should have
a little compassion for those who are not as strong as ourselves. Just
a thought. Your stories are enjoyable, even if I don't agree with you
all the time.
Chris Roach
<CRoach1318@aol.com>
from 98cd5799.ipt.aol.com on Thursday, June 03, 1999 at 11:42:47
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