The Roads Less Travelled

Shhhhhh….

By Snarky LisaPublished 5 months ago • 3 min read

https://unsplash.com/photos/landscape-photography-of-asphalt-road-under-cloudy-sky-during-daytime-jIdKrtJF8Uk

Do you ever think of the roads less travelled? The ones which are more hidden, more discreet, and/or more obscure in terms of general knowledge? The routes that are emptier and perhaps more spacious than popular paths as a result?

Sometimes, there are good reasons these roads remain less in demand. Maybe they consist of dangerous obstacles; twists and turns which run the risk of leading to severe doom. Perhaps they are associated with stations of societal disrepute, resulting in their travellers being branded poorly by the communities they reside in — whether doing so is justified or not.

Of course, roadways may end up disguised thanks to more benign reasoning. When it comes to small or fragile ones, maybe it’s better that they keep themselves out of the limelight. If too much of it shines on them, the resulting overpopulation might destroy them for good.

Other times, though…these roads don’t have particular reasons to stay hidden. They might just be bad at advertising themselves, their lack of investment in it causing few people to know about them. If they’re more decent at it, maybe they’ve simply been overshadowed by more well-known routes.

It can be tempting, sometimes, to take obscure routes. They’re less well-known, so one likely wouldn’t be eyed as much by others compared to if one chose somewhere more frequently seen. They could be home to something new and exciting; perhaps the resulting happenings and possessions could lead to brilliant discoveries ending up in significant cultural shockwaves.

That being said, though, one should really exhibit caution when taking the road less travelled. With fewer bits of information surrounding hidden pathways, it’s often harder to discern how to stay safe while going along one. However, this doesn’t make traversing them impossible.

Make sure to do your own research before undertaking your journey into the unknown.

If you’re lucky, you might be able to find data and clues deep in the webpages of a search engine. Should they be paywalled, be very careful how you spend your money. You don’t want to get scammed or have your financial information unduly used for something nefarious.

If not, try checking out books or asking around. While these may very well yield more limited information, they might also not be much different from the frequently contradictory pages on the World Wide Web.

There are also things you can do to stay as safe as you have the ability to on the trail.

If possible, travel in numbers — ideally with someone or those you trust. That way, you won’t just be stuck alone and might be able to get immediate help if you end up in a jiffy.

Also, bring something to allow you to communicate with the outside world — whether you’re travelling alone or in a group. Sure, you may be labelled “stupid” if you call for help and your chosen path is frequently ostracized. But your other option could very well be irreparable damage.

In the end, though: don’t ever feel pressured to take the road less travelled if it’s not needed. Yes, there is a chance it may be exhilarating and breathtaking to see. You might even find something to brag about to your loved ones later, in some cases.

However, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying the comforts of home (as long as they don’t involve anything immoral, of course). You shouldn’t be ashamed of finding enjoyment in the simple things that life can bring, clichéd as it sounds.

But if you want to take the road less travelled: don’t try to suppress your desires either. Just make sure you channel them properly.

Any other thoughts on this? Let me know in the comments!