I absolutely love poetry! Honestly, I don’t think I read enough of it. During my high school years, we were required to read a certain amount and I didn’t really pay much attention to what I was reading. That quickly changed during my college years as I studied Robert Frost. The way his words created visual pictures of Maine and other parts of New England were quite moving and made me feel like I was back home.
Now, as I read his works with my daughter, they take on new meanings. My favorite of his works is “The Road Not Taken.” I often dwell on the meaning of the phrase, “I took the one less traveled by”. The author speaks of an inward struggle to choose between two roads. This symbolism can be applied to many aspects of life including motherhood.
In motherhood, we all face roads in life and many of us deal with a constant struggle of which one we ought to take.
The “Perfectly Homemade” Road
We’ve all met these roads before. On this road, we meet those mothers who make everything from scratch and don’t serve their children anything processed, at all. We also meet the mothers that are perfectly semi-homemade.
These are the mothers that are doing what they can to make things from scratch that fit their schedule and budget but occasionally serve processed foods.
So, which one is okay? Answer: they both are! As a mother, you know what works best for your family and you should not feel guilty for not measuring up to someone else.
The “Successful Mother” Road
On this road, we meet the mothers that seem to have it all together. They may be climbing the ladder in the business world, doing well financially, have their children neatly dressed, and still manage to have their houses in order. I cheer these mothers on the same way I cheer on the stay-at-home mothers.
They’re working hard to provide for their families and while it looks like they’re super successful, they are surely making other sacrifices to make this happen. If you find yourself longing for this road, ask the Lord for peace and strength. If you feel called stay at home with your children, don’t feel guilty about that for one second. God as you where you need to be.
The “Stay-At-Home” Road
On this road, we often see the mothers with the yoga pants, messy bun, 2 kids in the shopping cart, and one (or 2) holding on to her hand. We envy her. “If only I could stay home with my kids,” we inwardly long. “She’s so lucky,” we think.
I guarantee you she has her days when she envies the “successful mother” or thinks about who she used to be before her children. Momma, if you’re working outside the home, you’re where God has you. When the world is screaming at you to go on another path that promises true joy, remember that joy comes from Christ.
Taking God’s Road
This road is often less traveled. God never promises that the road will be easy, the grass will be greener, or that you will be happy 100% of the time. However, He does promise blessings for those that Trust in Him and seek to follow after Him.
I am reminded of Matthew 6:26 (ESV) when Jesus says, “ Look at the birds of the air, they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”
God promises to supply our every need and we should not worry about them. Instead, we should rest in His truths and seek to do His will while we’re on the road He has placed us. Sometimes, I think by doing just that, we are taking the road less traveled.