Sunday Scribbling #33

This week the prompt at Sunday Scribblings is to respond to the quote "I don't want to be a passenger in my own life."
My biggest thought about this quote is "how can you not be a passenger in your own life?" I suppose the author means that she doesn't want to live passively; she has goals and she doesn't want to miss opportunites. But the way I see it--life happens. For example, I did not chose when or what country I was born in. Throughout my life there are many more events which affect me that I have no control over. However, and more importantly, each of us is also given certain unique gifts (skills, abilities, aptitudes, etc.) to use. It is up to us to find ways to use them to the best purpose and to not let them go to waste. It is a dance between taking what life hands us and doing the best with what we've been given. A life well lived is one that accomplishes this. Conversely, the saddest life is one where a person's gifts are thwarted or squandered.
I am fascinated by stories of people who in the middle of their successful but boring careers start over-- and begin doing what they really want to do. Likewise, I think people's life stories are interesting. Different things happen and people make choices. Events cause more events and choices lead to more choices. Events and choices work together to shape a person's life. The end result is the intricate tapestry of someone's life.
My approach to life is that I am a passenger in the long run but a conductor (somewhat) of the day to day aspects. There have been times when I've had to make huge decisions about which direction my life will take. But I look at both big and small choices as simply taking the next step and trying to choose the best possible option. I pray a lot. Then I'm always a little surprised and a lot interested in what happens next.