Paths not taken

The path not taken. Don't we all think think about that ? The what if's in life. Most were our own choices. Decisions we made. But what of those we were directed away from ? Those paths we were not told not to take or at the very least discouraged from taking. A lack of encouragement or arguments against that choice.

I suppose the classic example would be the starving artist. Laboring for his love of art, struggling for his very existence. There is no denying the talent but is it a reasonable choice ? Is that person a good enough artist ? Does it matter ? It matters only as far as the person being able to survive in the world. Money. That is what is needed. Remove that from the equation and we could all just spend our time pursuing our own dreams. We could follow each and every path we encounter. Would that be a good thing ? I'm not so sure about that. Time is a precious commodity and shouldn't be wasted. Then, one could argue that pursuing happiness is never a waste of time, if the motivation of that pursuit is pure. 

Is there blame to be placed for paths not taken ? Would you have gone a different way if encouraged to do so ? I'm not talking about in retrospect, I mean then. If the decision was left to just your own instinct and feeling, would it have been different ? That is the central question here. Each person we encounter can be a signpost. Social attitudes can be a guide. Both may be a force to influence your decisions. How much that influence directed your path is an answer only you can know. That is a measure of your personality. 

I enjoy taking these little flights of what if. In the world of what if, it always works out for the best. Not much sense in imagining a future of failure. Unanswered questions and speculation. Hope. 

What if you had been supported in every choice you made ?