At every moment in your life you experience choices you have to make. Some are easier to decide and some require patience and time. The metaphor “A fork in the road”, doesn’t actually mean there’s an actual fork on a road, but two paths that you are able to take. Some might lead to the same destination but have different ways to reach it while some lead to completely different destinations. One side is clean, easy, and has no obstacles while the other one is dirty, hard, and rocky. You stop and think, which would be the better choice.

Don’t always take the easier way out, go down the harder path and you will succeed.

“What I’ve learned, being among the Samanas, up to this day, this, oh Govinda, I could have learned more quickly and by simpler means. In every tavern of that part of a town where the whorehouses are, my friend, among carters and gamblers I could have learned it.”

Siddhartha Chapter 2 , With the Samanas

Siddhartha doesn’t understand why he had to work so hard but could have instead learned what he wanted in an easier way. Siddhartha doesn’t know why he has to eat less, listen more, and follow the Samanas when he could have accomplished his goal simply by interacting with others. This thought led him to a falling out and made him fall into gambling, riches, and more. He doesn’t realize that during this experience he was able to learn the grace and hardships that helped him later on. 

In life there are always going to be easier ways to achieve your desired goals. Learning and taking the risk of traveling down the path that is harder is what matters. You can’t expect to be full of wisdom and knowledge if you don’t try to achieve the highest. Don’t be so proud that you can’t accept help from someone that has lived longer than you.

The photograph that is shown captures two paths, one that is a rocky one and the other a nice clean path. The rocky path represents all the obstacles you will encounter if you go that way. The clean path is a straight one with no obstacles. But traveling down the rocky paths will help you gain experience for later life and gives you motivation and pride that you were able to succeed even going the hard route.

Don’t be scare to take a risk.