The Road Not Taken: A reflection of my life at 80 years old

“The Road Not Taken,” a poem by Robert Frost, explores the choices we make on our life journey. While the poem means different things to different people, the general interpretation is that in our life journey, we pass through different paths, some lead to success while others do not; yet we make the choice. In many views, the road less traveled means not “following the crowd, making life choices and the idea that it has made all the difference”, as we reflect on our lives and histories.

As I reflect on my life at 80, I have taken the road less traveled. Do I regret that? Certainly not. I I was born in Point Four in New Krutown, Monrovia, Liberia. The area is considered the largest poor community in Liberia. My mother, Teah Gbe Bleh, could not give birth after many attempts. My father’s people advised him to leave my mother for another woman, who could give him a child. The problem bothered my mother. One day, she had a dream in which a man brought a child and asked her if she wanted it. She said yes. But the man took the child away. After a few months, she had another dream. This time, the man said he would give her the child if she agreed to stop taking nicotine and any harmful substances. She agreed and said that if she were to bear the child, she would leave it in God’s hands. A few months later, she gave birth to me on March 8, 1946. My mother left me with her sister, Aunty Ama Tugbe, a spiritual woman of God residing in Point Four. The churches in New Krutown were happy about my birth. A pastor named me Samuel because of my birth.

As a child in New Krutown, I encountered many difficulties, including a false accusation of having sex with a White girl. My aunt beat and punished me severely based on the girl’s father’s accusation. I hated White people, I hated their racism and view that they are always right. As a child, I witnessed the suppressive and oppressive behavior of the Americo-Liberian True Whig Party government during the 1951 election between encumbered President William Tubman and challenger Didwho Welleh Twe, a native Kru. Tubman was an Americo-Liberian. At 6 years old, my father divorced my mother at family meeting. The break-up pained me as I watched my mother bitterly cry.

About 8 years ago, I moved in with my mother in Claratown, another ghetto inhabited by the Kru people. In the town, I sold kerosene on my head, saying, “Fine, fine, kerosene go, five cents. I also looked for empty battles, cleaned them to sell at the beer factory. It was not an easy job, as I had to return unwanted bottles. I observed another instance of oppressive behavior by the True Whip Party (TWP) in the 1955 election between Tubman and Edwin Barclay of the Independent True Whip Party (ITWP). Tubman was the (TWP) candidate. Though Tubman won the election according to the results, the TWP government was said to have masterminded the Plot that failed, leading to the armed forces arresting key ITWP members. ITWP chairman David Coleman and his son were killed. Consequently, TWP became the only major party in Liberia until 1980.

In 1963, I entered the College of West Africa, a secondary school in Liberia. It was the leading high school in the country. Many of the ruling elite's children attended the school. In 1966, I left Liberia to continue my education in the US. I graduated from Fryeburg Academy, a preparatory boarding high school attended by many rich White kids. I played soccer and did wrestling. We won the Class C state championship. I became vice president of the debating team and made racism a central issue in debates. I fought racism head-on. Also, at Fryeburg, I wrote: “The American Negro, What About Him?” It was published, and I got paid for it. The article was my first printed piece in America.

In 1968, I attended Georgetown University, Edmund Walsh School of Foreign Service. I founded the African Student Union at Georgetown. The civil rights struggle and the Black African cultural pride motivated me in America. I contributed to the student newspaper, called the Hoya.

After Georgetown, I earned my master’s from the University of the District of Columbia and later worked for the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. I am proud of three factors: my fight for the birth and life of my biological child; my struggle and advocacy for multiparty democracy in Liberia; and my legal guardianship of three children, ages 8, 10, and 12.

During my sophomore year at Georgetown, my fiancé got pregnant. Therefore, we decided to get married. But in a few weeks, she decided to abort the pregnancy. When I found out, I threatened the doctor who planned to perform the operation. The doctor backed out because abortion was illegal then. Had I not fought for the baby’s life, my daughter would not have been born and lived.

I engaged in demonstration and advocacy against the True Whig Party government under President William Tolbert in the 1970s. We marched in the streets of America, wrote and published articles about abuses in Liberia, and supported advocacy activities there. Consequently, in April 1980, the military overthrew the government, ushering in multiparty democracy in Liberia. Despite the aftermath, Liberia has a multiparty democracy. Without the revolution, the True Whig Party would still have ruled Liberia.

Did the three efforts personally benefit me? The answer is capital NO.

My biological daughter’s mother and I divorced a year after the baby’s birth. My daughter and I have no good relationship. She does not call me and neither do her children. The three daughters I raised have completed college, are making good money, and are living well. But only one child remembers me and keeps in touch with me. The two do not. Finally, I neither worked nor sought employment with the new government nor with subsequent administrations, though I knew the leaders very well. They knew of my qualifications and abilities. For instance, I knew head of state Samuel Doe, Charles Taylor, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and President Joseph Boakai. Boakai and I attended CWA and resided at the dormitory. Though I did not personally know former President George Weah, I knew his father very well. We grew up in Claratown. Moreover, I know Weah’s sister and his brother-in-law, whom I could have appealed to, if I needed to work in the administration.

Moreover, in 1992, I campaigned for Bill Clinton in the US presidential election. Clinton and I attended Georgetown University. I worked in his transitional team. I previously worked in the office of former Congressman Les Aspin, who was appointed as Defense Secretary by Clinton. I had a great opportunity to work for the Clinton administration if I were a US citizen. I was told to become a US citizen for employment. But I refused to become a citizen of another country. Liberia is my native country, and I will remain a Liberian national.

Working in the Liberian government would have helped me financially, acquired power, influence, and perhaps fame, but would not have guaranteed me a long life, good health, peace, and happiness.

Today, I am 80 years old, healthy, happy, and peaceful. I am not wealthy, powerful, and influential, but I am not starving. I exercise three days a week, I eat healthy, I pray daily and help the poor when I can. I exercise honesty and integrity. I enjoy what I do best: write. I have published over 65 articles and a forthcoming book. I was born for a purpose. To God, I give glory. He will continue to guard, protect, bless, and give me long life.

The road not taken.