“Si no hay camino, se hace camino al andar”

“If there is no way, way when walking becomes”

“If there is no path, you make a path as you go”

Laura Moreno was born in the small town of Huaraz on the foothills of the Andes Mountain Range. She was the youngest of five children. She grew up in the city, but would spend time on their farm that was a short distance away.

Laura learned most of the proverbs she knows today from her grandparents, parents, and friends.  To her this saying means that once a person starts something, he should finish it. If one doe not take that crucial first step, then he will go no where. If he wanted to walk a mile, he would need to start with a step.

I agree with Laura’s analysis of the proverb.  There are many people that dabble in too many things and do not commit or ever finish one of them. It is the same as “Do not have too many irons in the fire”, which refers to taking more responsibility than one can handle.

However, this proverb also reminds me of the saying that one should go not where the path leads, but rather where there is no path at all, or otherwise more popularly known as “marching to the beat of your own drummer.” Sometimes in life, there are no set paths. It is up to one to be honest with oneself and follow the path that best suits him.