Stephen Altizer

Background

About Stephen Altizer

I do not profess to be a poetry aficionado. In fact, I have scant read much poetry in my life (despite my grandmother being named the first female Poet Laureate of Virginia, shame on me). However, one poem, and, in particular, the last half of the poem’s last stanza, has followed me throughout my life since I first read it as a child. “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” From “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost, 1915. I know I’m not the only one who has been influenced by this poem, hence its stature. But, I am using it to introduce myself because it is the backdrop for how I have grown. Originally, and for many of my formative years, I prided myself on doing it the hard way, going it alone. I thought it made me tougher, smarter, better—taking the difficult path and never considering the easy path. That’s how I first interpreted this poem. I made that choice. Now, I see it as a poem of choices and not regretting the choice made, which quickly saps any satisfaction from the option that was selected. Sometimes, what seems like the easier path is the best path. Why unduly burden yourself? To quote Ted Lasso, because it’s a great show addressing the stigma of men’s mental health, “You know how they say youth is wasted on the young, I say don’t let the wisdom of age be wasted on you.” Other things you may want to know about me- I really enjoy teaching - I’ve studied a lot on leadership - I’m a strong writer and communicator, but know I can always get better - I have some artistic ability that I want to practice more - My dog is an Epagneul Breton - You want to have me on your team