In response to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: “Boundaries.”

…or the yellow brick road.  Why? Where are we going? To find a heart, to find a friend, to find a soul, to find the truth, to find ourselves, to follow the crowd, to do what is expected, to fall in line.

How often do we keep to one side of the imaginary boundary that we set ourselves or that is set for us? Why do we do it? Why don’t we step outside the boundary? Dare to be different? Dare to find another way?

What if we could just step across that imaginary line even just to look around the corner and see where we are going, or where we have been?  How would life turn out? How much do you limit yourself by sticking to a path mapped out for you by others and even by yourself?

Two people this week have prompted me to think about this. One is a young person about to sell up and head off on her adventures. Taking a new path, taking a risk, about to live a dream. Not following the line that is expected of a successful and talented teacher just yet. The other is not much older than me, worked as a teacher all her life, passionate, followed the dotted line, just married and looking to happy times ahead. She is very ill in the hospital in which I took this photo.  Reflecting on what could have been, should have been and what still could be if she gets the chance.  Would she have made different decisions? Stepped over the line? Who knows?

You only live once.  You’ll never know if you never cross the boundary.