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
Every so often, I find myself in lost in a yellow wood confronted with two paths, the default/familiar versus something new/different. “Sorry that I could not travel both” haunts this decision. No one wants to miss out on life’s opportunities but we must choose and know that the other road won’t get trodden. Life is a series of trade offs.
Shortly after college while living in a cheap apartment and working in the family business, I stood before one of these crossroads. Back then, I chose the path less traveled by leaving the familiar to travel New Zealand with my future bride. I started this site back then to share and journal this adventure. The departure from familiar snowballed into a life of new experiences.
Decades have passed and not a moment goes by that I don’t dream or think about our brief time spent exploring those two lovely islands nestled between the South Pacific and the Tasman Sea.
Life has rewarded me with a beautiful marriage, two wonderful sons and scores of great memories. The routine of modern life has nudged us down the more traveled paths. I don’t know why, but our sense of adventure has softened with age and parenthood. Yet that raw drive to explore and surround oneself in the unfamiliar is awakening. My boys are approaching ages of independence. Our domesticated tenure has served its purpose. I sense another intersection ahead. The path less traveled calls to me.
Unfortunately, you were not selected to run the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon in the drawing, or if applicable, in the NYRR Member-Only Second-Chance Drawing. Check out the race page to learn about other ways you can still gain entry.Thank you for your interest in New York Road Runners. We hope to see you soon.
I’m not too upset about it though as I’m sidelined with a meniscus tear and its been four weeks since I ran outside.
Still, this is on the bucket list and I’m only getting older.
Sometime after leaving home for college, I had an awakening of sorts. I became very curious about money and wealth. My parents were certainly an influence as they both ran their own businesses and encouraged my sisters and I to do the same. By 18, I had many different jobs from selling golfballs, mowing lawns, waxing furniture, and I even had a DJ business where I performed for school proms and weddings. In the summers I drove trucks for my dad. All this to say that I had some sense of how to earn money. What I didn’t know was why some people could build mass fortunes while others remained middle class. Two influences came into my life that summer after my freshman year: Stanley and Danko’s Millionaire Next door and the Clark Howard Show.
That summer was special. I was spending 10-14 hours a day in a work truck listening to the radio. Bored by FM, I stumbled into AM stations where I could listen to sports talk radio, politics and advice shows like the Clark Howard Show. Based out of Atlanta, he had a nationally syndicated show that ran for 2-3 hours. Most days he would just take calls from the audience and provide advice on how to avoid scams or simple investing advice. Think Dave Ramsey without the judgement and theatrics. I recall one day, he explained his story of how he became a radio host. Apparently he had retired in his early thirties after selling a successful travel business when a friend asked if he would come on the air to provide financial advice. Clark was the first plain spoken person who explained how to build real wealth from modest means. His story was the living example that Thomas Stanley outlined in Millionaire Next Door. Simple rules of living below your means, investing the difference, and let time compound that amount into millions. This wasn’t rocket science nor luck, just frugal decisions and time.
What made Clark special for me was his ability to make building wealth something that I could do. His advice was simple, practical, and understandable. He would give precise instructions on the type of account to open (Roth IRA), what institutions to trust (Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard), and what investments to make (Index funds). He also gave advice on how to shop for the basics in life like groceries (Costco, Walmart, Sam’s, Aldi) and how to buy a car (slightly used, inspected, and with cash if you can). He was the first person in my orbit to demystify how money works. Didn’t matter what your job was, where you lived, or who your parents were, you could get rich slowly by “saving more, spending less, and avoid getting ripped off.” Unlike most money gurus, he did not promise instant wealth nor did he peddle pricey seminars on flipping real estate.
Following that summer, I made small but gradual behavior changes. I became more thoughtful about my spending. I deposited the remainder of my summer earnings into a Roth IRA. I kept two months worth of cash in a money market account. I began to read more about money management, investing, the stock market, and biographies of wealthy people. From Clark, I learned about Peter Lynch, Warren Buffet, Jack Bogle, Charles Schwab, and Sam Walton. I even tracked my spending and account balances on my own custom excel spreadsheet.
I began to understand what it meant to be frugal. Like most, I assumed frugal meant cheap. Instead, I learned it meant discipline with regards to spending and values. My purchases became purposeful. I spent more on the things I valued and less on the stuff I didn’t. Clark and his embodiment of the frugal millionaire gave me a lens in which to see the world and how it transacts. We avoided common middle class traps of car payments, credit card debt, lifestyle debt, and “keeping up with the Jones’s.” Pretty soon these decisions formed habits which evolved into a lifestyle. Later in life I would use this pattern with exercise, diet, work and many other parts of my life that require steady constant efforts over time.
As a direct result of his influence, I have managed to achieve a modest layer of financial stability for my family. I have freedom in my life that took years and patience to build. I am very grateful for Clark’s advice and consistent words of wisdom.
Most mentors live in my mind for a few years. They make an impression. Influence my thoughts and behaviors. Then fade away. Clark is the exception, I still listen to his show on a routine basis though I can quote his responses to listener questions before responds. Today, Clark has stepped back from a full time radio show to a podcast where he still takes listener questions and gives his perspective on money decisions.
The Olympics just ended, February is on it’s last week. The fun stretch of the year is around the corner.
We are spring season people in my house. One of the best parts of living where we do (a place that has four distinct seasons), is that every March, the flowers and trees start coming to life. Each week from about now until July will showcase something new blooming and/or showing growth. I’m nearly 50 and this annual process never grows old. It always makes an impression on me.
Also coming up is my favorite holiday of the year, our anniversary. My lovely bride and I have been married for over two decades. I can’t describe how important our relationship is in our lives, it is the foundation and center of my universe. Happy anniversary love, once the kids are off to college, lets go back to Zermatt and watch sunrises over the Matterhorn again!
Not only does the change of seasons bring forth a renewed sense of optimism, there feels a deeper current starting to gather momentum. Last year tossed us a few curve balls, especially me. Yet things appear back on track and I’m optimistic that the next few years will be our best ever. We booked a family trip for early April to visit friends and get out of town. I’m also working on another late summer road trip around New England. That trip will mark getting our sons to all 50 states before the oldest turns 18! Any advice for great food and sights in RI, VT, CT, NH, and ME are welcome!
For the past year, I’ve traveled less than usual. Being at home more was nice for a bit, but I’m eager to explore new places. I have high hopes that the next decade will be spent more on the road as our life simplifies and we regain control of our schedules and life demands. I’ve been told that happens as the kids leave the house. Here’s hoping that dream comes true.
