in other words
The Road Not Taken
By Lynn Berry
Hello? Yes, you. Hello? I’m referring to you. Yes,
you. You know who you are. You are the one who
wants to reach so much further and shine so much
brighter, but chooses to stay comfortable and
compliant. Your spirit yearns to soar and spark,
but instead, it feels trapped, imprisoned by your
monotonous daily routine. It’s a New Year ya’all.
It’s a new beginning. It’s a time to shed what we
don’t want and a time to create what we do want
in our lives. Change it up. Take risks. Research
with senior citizens looking back on their lives,
found that it was those individuals who took more
risks, who were the most satisfied, content, and
joyful with their lives, even when those risks failed
or didn’t turn out as expected. Take responsibility
for your path, and if you don’t like the path you’ve
chosen, then change it. Begin. Create and savor
every moment. Our daily perceptions, thoughts,
and decisions eventually transpire into who and
what we are. And we all are one.
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 on to 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
---Writer’s Idea: Some argue that we have shaped
our lives making only a few significant decisions.
Think back to a crossroad in your life. You chose
a path. Why? Would you choose differently today?
Was that choice helpful or harmful? What do you
understand differently today as a result of that
choice?
january10
2012
15
---Writer’s Tip: Some of our most liberated
ideas come to us while we are sleeping or
what is termed “twilight sleep,” the state
of mind just prior to awakening. Keep a
journal by your bedside, and before rising,
attempt to write one page a day for two
weeks of whatever comes to mind. No
worries about spelling, grammar, even
staying within the lines, just write. And no
judging yourself, just write freely, hence the
term, “Freewrite.” I guarantee by the end
of two weeks, you will have discovered not
only new material for your artwork, but
also a deeper part or yourself.
---Please send your original submissions to,
(or if you would like a copy of any of the
published poems) InkwellVernonia@gmail.
com or by mail: PO Box 333 Vernonia,
OR 97064. Please include your name
and contact information. Write—Express--
Expand.
Lynn Berry holds an M.A. in English,
specializing in feminist literature and literary
criticism. She has spent several years teaching
Literature, Composition, Poetry, Creative
Writing, and Critical Thinking at various school
districts and colleges, and occasionally provides
writing workshops.
Mason’s Creations continued from front page
‘There has to be something neat there,’”
says Parker. He says he also intends
to paint the railroad tressel at Top Hill
on Highway 47, and the Banks Lumber
Mill.
Parker begins his watercolor
art as pen and ink sketches and then
completes them by adding color.
His website features such Portland
landmarks as Powell’s Books, the
Phone (503) 429.2617
Kitchen Countertops
Fax (503) 429.0941
Fireplace & Furniture
ABSOLUTE@AGALIS.NET
Tubs & Vanities
www.absolutemarbleandgraniteinc.net
Mariolino’s
Pizza & Grill
Open for
breakfast,
lunch & dinner
We have ice cream!
Serving Vernonia since 1970
721 Madison Avenue, Vernonia
(503) 429-5018
Laurelhurst Theater, the Steel Bridge,
Union Station, and much more. Most
of his Oregon Gallery features Portland
sites although he also has watercolors
from Scio, Oregon City, the Columbia
Gorge, Eugene and now Vernonia. His
watercolors are bright and colorful,
full of detail, yet just a bit quirky and
interesting.
His glass art is spectacular
and includes his signature garden
art sunflowers as well as butterflies,
mushrooms, dragon flies, orchids, irises,
bugs and more. Some of the butterflies
are as large as four feet across. He uses
a technique called “slump and fuse”
to create his glass art, letting heat and
gravity do the work of shaping the glass.
His work is available through
his website and is also on display at a
store called “Yesterday and Tomorrow”
at 7506 N. Albina Street in Portland.
Mason’s prints are available
in several sizes starting at 17” x 11”
up to 22’ x 30”. He also sells 5” x 7”
notecards. He is also available to create
custom, original watercolor scenes of
your favorite street building, waterfall or
other favorite spot.
You can view Mason Parker’s work at
masonscreations.com. You can contact
Mason Parker at P.O. Box 15249,
Portland, Oregon 97293 or 503-975-
8473 or sonofthespiralshop@yahoo.com
Vernonia Computer Services
Computer help is just a phone call away
Housecalls
Instruction/Training
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System problems diagnosed
Hardware testing, repair, replacement
bill@rangelights.com
Bill Langmaid (971) 998-3705
