Today I decided to further explore the eastern side of the village. After climbing the hill going north, I turned east toward a housing area called Marpo Heights. I followed the ridge road back down into the valley until it dead-ended into another road that traveled north and south.
As I turned south, I soon had a decision to make. I could head back toward town, or head up a hill leading to an area called Carolinas Heights. I decided to keep exploring. And as I did I thought about some of the other decisions I had made in life…
The world is a wonderful place. Unfortunately, few people realize its beauty and take the time to fully appreciate its wonders. We all know that we should “stop and smell the roses”, yet few of us do! I believe that I know why.
There is a famous poem by Robert Frost called “The Road Not Taken” that strikes at the core of the problem:
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 lead onto way,
I doubted I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a woods, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that made all the difference.
What is it that drives men to take the road less traveled by? What makes people take risks? From ancient times it has been known that those who truly make a difference, that succeed in life and energize themselves and others, are those who take risks. This ability to overcome our fears and take risks is brought to mind by many common adages:
Carpe diem (seize the day), grab the brass ring (a game once played on a merry-go-round, where children would reach for a brass ring as they rode their ponies round and round), nothing lost nothing gained (you cannot gain anything of worth without risking what you have), it takes money to make money (you must be willing to risk the money you have to gain the greater money you desire)
, etc. Even the Savior, Jesus Christ understood this universal maxim:
Matthew 10:39
He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
Matthew 16:25
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
Matthew 19:29
And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
There is always risk in life. Those who succeed both on earth and in heaven are those willing to take risks—willing to change their lives to obtain something better. This principle is well known…so why are their so few that actually make those life-changing decisions?
I believe that the main reason people never fully experience fulfillment in life, and as a result are blinded to the beauty of life, is due to fear. Whether it is fear of the unknown, or fear of change, or fear of loss—they are simply afraid to risk what they have, no matter what the rewards will be.
But the power of faith—faith in oneself, faith in a higher power, faith in life itself—overcomes fear. And the power of love—love of oneself, love of God, love of life itself—overcomes fear. Where faith and love reside, there is no fear. And when there is no fear in a person’s heart, they have the courage to take the risks necessary to reach fulfillment in life. Others have also seen this principle at work:
1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
“The great boon to the human family is peace…although we may be harassed, persecuted and deprived of our rights and liberties as citizens of this great nation, let me tell you that we all have a peace of mind such as they know nothing at all about--the peace of God that passeth understanding, which is the Comforter, the Holy Ghost. When we lie down at night, our sleep is sweet and refreshing; our hearts are buoyant and our spirits strong in the Lord. So it is with our brethren in prison. The Lord is blessing them with His Spirit, as we have heard during our Conference. Said the Savior, "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear Him, which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell." We want to fear God, and have our hearts full of love, that perfect love, which casteth out fear.” (Franklin D. Richards 1886)
“Love of God will drive out fear. To the restored Church the Lord has stated time and time again that fear is not of God and will not enter the hearts of those who love the Lord and live righteously: "Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you. . . ." (D&C 68:6.)
“There are many people who live the so-called good life because of fear, but as Christians we must not serve for this reason. Fear must be banished from our hearts. In one of the epistles of John he wrote: "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18.) (Howard W. Hunter 1966)
I remember the stunned look on the faces of our friends and neighbors when we told them we were leaving our home and family to pursue our dreams. We were moving across the country so that Terri could go to school and become a PA—with the eventual goal of moving to some out-of-the-way place so that she could practice the type of medicine she had always dreamed of, and I could write. They understood our dream…but it was just a dream! They couldn’t understand giving up our home, friends and family. No one does that…but everyone dreams about it!
Several people came up to us, and in private, expressed how much they wanted to do the same thing. They hated their jobs, or had secret desires that had never been fulfilled, or simply desired an ‘adventure’ to spice up their dreary lives. But they were afraid. How could they leave their family? How could they leave their jobs? How could they possibly risk so much—no matter what the potential reward? It seemed as though it was simply beyond their power to understand…
And yet, here we are! We took the risk: we left our beautiful home, our friends and family, and in spite of the fear and feelings of loss, we overcame. We took the road less traveled, and that has made all the difference!
I had turned south, heading uphill (again) to what is known as the Carolinas Heights. Marpo Heights and Carolinas Heights are the two main hills on the island, and have been chosen by some to build their homes due to the beautiful views one can obtain—as long as the rain forest in front of them is cut down! Some who live far up the hill have no better view than those in the valley due to the overgrowth of bushes and grass.
It had rained this morning (it rained all day yesterday, as we had another baby typhoon parked over top of us), which made the road rather slippery. I was rather tired already when I turned south to go to the Carolinas, and probably wouldn’t have gone if I had known how steep the road was heading up to the heights. I thought “the hill’ to the airport was steep! This was so steep, and due to the wet road, I found it hard to get any traction at all, even though it was a paved road.
After a great deal of effort (it’s been a long time since I worked that hard!), I finally made it to the top of the hill. Suddenly the area opened up and there appeared many beautiful homes, groomed landscaping, and a view of the valley and Marpo Heights.
I discovered two new things unique to Tinian: cock-fighting and Philippine maids. I passed an old cock-fighting ring, where roosters would fight to the death surrounded by cheering crowds. I also noticed that almost every home in the Carolinas had a Philippine maid—it must have been laundry day, as many were outside washing, or hanging up their clothes on lines. Some were taking care of children, some were sewing, and some seemed to be working on a meal of some kind.
The doors to all the homes were open, letting the breeze blow through the house (rather than using the air-conditioning). Few owners were at home, as it is a holiday, and were probably at the beach or somewhere celebrating.
Now I had another decision to make. How was I going to get back? It seems as though I was lost again. I kept running into dead-end roads, or roads that just circled back on themselves. I was determined no to back-track, but I was afraid there was no way out.
The maps I had studied this morning clearly showed roads leading to the other end of the island…but at every turn I found the south-bound roads simply ended. Eventually I found a small dirt road going downhill (I had seen a truck drive that way, so had some hope of finding my way out).
After much winding around, and a few more dead-ends, I found myself back on a main road that I knew, and was soon back home…after 2 ½ hours and six miles +- of walking. I was really tired, and grateful I had found my way back home.
As I turned south, I soon had a decision to make. I could head back toward town, or head up a hill leading to an area called Carolinas Heights. I decided to keep exploring. And as I did I thought about some of the other decisions I had made in life…
The world is a wonderful place. Unfortunately, few people realize its beauty and take the time to fully appreciate its wonders. We all know that we should “stop and smell the roses”, yet few of us do! I believe that I know why.
There is a famous poem by Robert Frost called “The Road Not Taken” that strikes at the core of the problem:
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 lead onto way,
I doubted I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a woods, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that made all the difference.
What is it that drives men to take the road less traveled by? What makes people take risks? From ancient times it has been known that those who truly make a difference, that succeed in life and energize themselves and others, are those who take risks. This ability to overcome our fears and take risks is brought to mind by many common adages:
Carpe diem (seize the day), grab the brass ring (a game once played on a merry-go-round, where children would reach for a brass ring as they rode their ponies round and round), nothing lost nothing gained (you cannot gain anything of worth without risking what you have), it takes money to make money (you must be willing to risk the money you have to gain the greater money you desire)
, etc. Even the Savior, Jesus Christ understood this universal maxim:
Matthew 10:39
He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
Matthew 16:25
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
Matthew 19:29
And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
There is always risk in life. Those who succeed both on earth and in heaven are those willing to take risks—willing to change their lives to obtain something better. This principle is well known…so why are their so few that actually make those life-changing decisions?
I believe that the main reason people never fully experience fulfillment in life, and as a result are blinded to the beauty of life, is due to fear. Whether it is fear of the unknown, or fear of change, or fear of loss—they are simply afraid to risk what they have, no matter what the rewards will be.
But the power of faith—faith in oneself, faith in a higher power, faith in life itself—overcomes fear. And the power of love—love of oneself, love of God, love of life itself—overcomes fear. Where faith and love reside, there is no fear. And when there is no fear in a person’s heart, they have the courage to take the risks necessary to reach fulfillment in life. Others have also seen this principle at work:
1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
“The great boon to the human family is peace…although we may be harassed, persecuted and deprived of our rights and liberties as citizens of this great nation, let me tell you that we all have a peace of mind such as they know nothing at all about--the peace of God that passeth understanding, which is the Comforter, the Holy Ghost. When we lie down at night, our sleep is sweet and refreshing; our hearts are buoyant and our spirits strong in the Lord. So it is with our brethren in prison. The Lord is blessing them with His Spirit, as we have heard during our Conference. Said the Savior, "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear Him, which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell." We want to fear God, and have our hearts full of love, that perfect love, which casteth out fear.” (Franklin D. Richards 1886)
“Love of God will drive out fear. To the restored Church the Lord has stated time and time again that fear is not of God and will not enter the hearts of those who love the Lord and live righteously: "Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you. . . ." (D&C 68:6.)
“There are many people who live the so-called good life because of fear, but as Christians we must not serve for this reason. Fear must be banished from our hearts. In one of the epistles of John he wrote: "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18.) (Howard W. Hunter 1966)
I remember the stunned look on the faces of our friends and neighbors when we told them we were leaving our home and family to pursue our dreams. We were moving across the country so that Terri could go to school and become a PA—with the eventual goal of moving to some out-of-the-way place so that she could practice the type of medicine she had always dreamed of, and I could write. They understood our dream…but it was just a dream! They couldn’t understand giving up our home, friends and family. No one does that…but everyone dreams about it!
Several people came up to us, and in private, expressed how much they wanted to do the same thing. They hated their jobs, or had secret desires that had never been fulfilled, or simply desired an ‘adventure’ to spice up their dreary lives. But they were afraid. How could they leave their family? How could they leave their jobs? How could they possibly risk so much—no matter what the potential reward? It seemed as though it was simply beyond their power to understand…
And yet, here we are! We took the risk: we left our beautiful home, our friends and family, and in spite of the fear and feelings of loss, we overcame. We took the road less traveled, and that has made all the difference!
I had turned south, heading uphill (again) to what is known as the Carolinas Heights. Marpo Heights and Carolinas Heights are the two main hills on the island, and have been chosen by some to build their homes due to the beautiful views one can obtain—as long as the rain forest in front of them is cut down! Some who live far up the hill have no better view than those in the valley due to the overgrowth of bushes and grass.
It had rained this morning (it rained all day yesterday, as we had another baby typhoon parked over top of us), which made the road rather slippery. I was rather tired already when I turned south to go to the Carolinas, and probably wouldn’t have gone if I had known how steep the road was heading up to the heights. I thought “the hill’ to the airport was steep! This was so steep, and due to the wet road, I found it hard to get any traction at all, even though it was a paved road.
After a great deal of effort (it’s been a long time since I worked that hard!), I finally made it to the top of the hill. Suddenly the area opened up and there appeared many beautiful homes, groomed landscaping, and a view of the valley and Marpo Heights.
I discovered two new things unique to Tinian: cock-fighting and Philippine maids. I passed an old cock-fighting ring, where roosters would fight to the death surrounded by cheering crowds. I also noticed that almost every home in the Carolinas had a Philippine maid—it must have been laundry day, as many were outside washing, or hanging up their clothes on lines. Some were taking care of children, some were sewing, and some seemed to be working on a meal of some kind.
The doors to all the homes were open, letting the breeze blow through the house (rather than using the air-conditioning). Few owners were at home, as it is a holiday, and were probably at the beach or somewhere celebrating.
Now I had another decision to make. How was I going to get back? It seems as though I was lost again. I kept running into dead-end roads, or roads that just circled back on themselves. I was determined no to back-track, but I was afraid there was no way out.
The maps I had studied this morning clearly showed roads leading to the other end of the island…but at every turn I found the south-bound roads simply ended. Eventually I found a small dirt road going downhill (I had seen a truck drive that way, so had some hope of finding my way out).
After much winding around, and a few more dead-ends, I found myself back on a main road that I knew, and was soon back home…after 2 ½ hours and six miles +- of walking. I was really tired, and grateful I had found my way back home.
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