“Two roads diverged in a wood and I took the one less travelled.”
Frost’s words linger like a compass, reminding us that choice is never just about a direction, but about becoming. Every path holds the potential to lead us to new discoveries, to unseen horizons and to facets of ourselves we might never have known existed.
Spring is in the air. There’s a subtle shift in the wind, a quiet stirring of growth and the intoxicating scent of blossoms on the breeze. It is a season that carries hope without demanding it, inviting us to step into possibility. Like nature, we are constantly evolving, shedding what no longer serves us, opening ourselves to what awaits us.
Every choice we make – big or small – is a path we take. Some roads feel safe, familiar and well-trodden, while others appear lined with shadows and uncertainty. Yet, it is often the less travelled road that reveals the richest experiences. Courage, curiosity and a willingness to embrace change, transform these paths into journeys of self-discovery.
Beneath the surface of life, connections thrive silently. Like mycelium networks that intertwine beneath the forest floor; trees, plants and fungi share nutrients, strength and resilience. They flourish not by standing alone but by reciprocal nourishment, forming a web of interdependence. It is a natural illustration of Ubuntu: ‘I am because we are.’ Our own growth is inseparable from the ways we connect with the world around us, from the invisible threads of community, empathy and shared humanity.
African concept of time
Philip Mbithi’s reflections on African perceptions of time deepen this understanding of life and growth. Unlike the western idea of time, which often frames life as a series of linear steps, deadlines and measurable outcomes, the African ontological perspective sees time as fluid, relational and cyclical. It is not primarily an individual possession but a communal resource, tied intimately to social relationships, responsibilities and shared rhythms.
In African societies, time is measured less by the clock and more by events, communal activities; the ebb and flow of natural cycles. A person’s day is structured around engagement with family, the environment, rather than a rigid schedule imposed from outside. It reminds us that growth, healing and transformation are not solitary. They occur in connection with others and with the world itself. Ubuntu and African time are inseparable: The self is nourished, understood and made meaningful through ties to the collective.
Western time often pressures us to move, accomplish and measure our own progress. African time emphasises presence, patience and flow. There is room to pause, to reflect, to wait for the right season of growth and to understand that life’s value is not in the speed with which we move, but in the depth with which we live and connect.
Spring embodies this perspective beautifully. Just as flowers bloom in their own season, not in response to dreary deadlines, we too are called to honour our natural unfolding. Life’s cycles – growth, rest, renewal – are not interruptions yet, essential rhythms that align us with ourselves, each other and the outer world.
Hope is the light that travels with us through every choice, good or bad, we make. Faith is the quiet confidence that the path, though unclear, leads somewhere meaningful and rewarding. Rebirth is not a dramatic, instantaneous event, but a series of small awakenings. Slow recognition of our own voracity, strength and self-worth. True love begins Here. It is the love that allows us to bloom without needing approval, to flourish without clinging and to embrace life in all its vibrant imperfection. This self-love radiates outward, colouring our interactions, deepening our connections and allowing us to move through the world with generosity, compassion and joy.
The less travelled road is not lonely; it is alive with possibility. Serendipity appears along the way – unexpected encounters, moments of laughter, new insights and gentle reminders of our resilience. It is in these spaces that our courage meets our own curiosity and our hearts expand without limitation. This is how Life’s true richness unfolds.
While we are on this journey of self-discovery, let us remember that time is not a race. Like the seasons, we are part of a rhythm that moves beyond the linear, beyond pressure, into the embrace of growth itself. The paths we take, the choices we make, the love we cultivate within ourselves – they are threads in the tapestry of existence, connecting us to each other and to the natural world. Ubuntu teaches us that to flourish is to recognise our place within this web. Honour the rhythms of life and to nurture the interconnectedness that sustains us and helps us grow.
I invite you to step boldly into the road that calls you. You are invited to blossom and unfold at your own pace. I am reminded of yet another line by a glorious wordsmith, Rumi, “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right doing there is a field. I’ll meet you there.” Meet yourself and others in fields of acceptance, to trust in cycles of renewal, and to celebrate the quiet, persistent miracle of becoming. You.
The less travelled road may be ambiguous, yet it is filled with life, growth and true connection. Walkabout, we discover a vast, vibrant inner world – the truest home, the richest love and the most enduring journey of all. Ourselves.
