“Two roads diverged into yellow wood……” I was standing by the window, reading a poem called “The Road not Taken”, by Robert Frost. Outside, snow was falling resplendently, and it was silent as the grave. Suddenly, gales of laughter interrupted the silence; I looked up, and I saw a little girl run by and her mother chasing her. They reminded me of a day in my life, four years ago, the day before Christmas Eve. It was a day that I would never forget, and it was a day that taught me a lot of things… I closed my eyes, and time started to move in reverse, slowly going backward, as if the hands of a clock are rotating in the wrong direction. I became younger… I opened my eyes, and I was an eight year old innocent girl.
I woke up in the morning; at first I forgot where I was. I lay on my bed for a while thinking about where I was… Suddenly, it occurred to me, I said slowly to myself. “I am in a hotel in Vienna. I had left Hungary with my mom to Vienna to celebrate Christmas. And… today is December 23rd!” I jumped up, and ran to find my mom. I knew my mom was already awake; I just had to find her. After going through one or two doors, I saw my mom sitting on a cozy couch reading a book. I wanted to run to her and into her arms and tell her the news of today being the day before Christmas Eve. I was desperate to know what my mom planned for me today, because I knew she was planning something!
I cried gleefully to my mom, “Mom, did you know that today is the day before Christmas Eve?” Mom’s answer took me by surprise. She looked up and said, “Yes, I do know, that is why we are going out to the Christmas market!” I was thrilled! A hundred questions formed in my head and they all wanted to burst out. I ended up asking, “Now?” Mom answered, “No, not now, we will leave at 10:30.” I thought “What, in 2 hours? That is like waiting forever!” Mom told me that she would prepare and I could go and read! I like to read, but I did not feel like it… What I wanted to do is to go outside, and look at the beauty of the snow, to go to the Christmas market and look at everything! But, now, I had to wait patiently for 2 hours!!!
Time passed as slow as Chinese Torture. I heard the clock ticking. It never stopped, but I felt like it was slowing down. I sat on the floor and waited, but I got so bored that I decided to finish the book that I was reading… Then, I sat on the floor again, then, I counted to a million bazillion… And then, 10:30 finally came! I jumped up and ran to my mom; I got all my clothing on me, mom did too. I was delighted about going outside; I opened the door before mom even reached out her hand to do so. Then, we were outside. Snow was falling hard, everything was white and the beauty of it was breathtaking. I stood as still as a statue for a while, taking the beauty of it all in.
We promenaded to the Christmas market. Everyone’s eyes were shining; I could hear gales of laughter from everywhere. We looked at every shop and I observed every person that I can see. The day went as fast as a flying bird. It was like, you blinked your eyes, and hours are gone. But not all of the day was gone; there was still time for a lot to happen…
While walking back to the hotel, I suddenly heard music coming from a corner in the street. The sound was more beautiful than anything I have ever heard before. I suddenly felt an urge to go there, to follow the music to where it started, to find out who would be out playing music on such a cold day. I followed the sound of the music, with my mom following right behind me. And, I saw an old lady playing a guitar-like instrument. I glanced down and saw that there was a cup for people to give money in before her on the ground, but it only contained a little money. I suddenly had a dream, to see the cup full to the rim, and to see the old lady’s lips form a smile that would reach to her eyes. I turned to look at my mom, and I asked her, “Can’t we put some money into that cup?” My mom replied so fast that I doubt she even heard the question. She said, “Yes, off course!” She took some money out, and put the money in the cup. Immediately, the lady’s face lightened and she cried “Danke! Danke sehr!” It was so joyful to see the old lady’s face lighten up. I felt like celebrating inside of me. The old lady smiled a smile that did reach to her eyes, so that her eyes were twinkling. Her smile brought a smile to my face, and to my mom’s. At that very moment, I realized that Christmas isn’t always happy for everyone. While we are celebrating, there are people outside begging for money… I said, “Bitte sehr.” Then, she continued to play her instrument. And we continued to walk back to the hotel. Her face was still before me, it was as if I could touch her, but, I knew that it was because I was thinking about her.
Four years has passed, but I can still remember everything from that day. I have never seen that old lady again. But, I will never forget her; I still remember her playing her instrument on a freezing cold day, when snow was falling around her. I can still remember her smile…
That day, I realized life isn’t easy; it is difficult to get a good life. I realized that the only way to help poor and homeless people is to fill yourself with knowledge. The only way to help these people is to take the road that is not taken, to take the road that is less traveled by, and to not take the road that everyone takes. Robert Frost talks about this in one of his poems, called “The Road not Taken”. In the last few sentences of this poem, Robert Frost says “I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference.” And it has, and it will for the person who takes that road.
Rain's Voice 