Luck vs. Choice
Luck puts us in circumstances we never chose, leading us to the challenges and opportunities that surround us from the beginning. Choice is what we do after that, the decisions that can trap us in those circumstances or help us overcome them.
Luck
Luck represents the circumstances that we do not choose. Luck can shape the world we are born into, but it does not define who we become. Can be gentle or cruel. It can appear in the form of a loving father who refuses to give up, a teacher who sees potential where no one else does, or a mentor who steps in at just the right moment. But luck can also be harsh. It can mean growing up surrounded by violence, instability, poverty, and fear conditions no child would ever choose.
In The Other Wes Moore, luck is everywhere. It is present in the streets where both boys walked, in their homes, and in the opportunities that came their way, or never came their way. However, luck alone does not tell the whole story. That's where choice comes into play.
Choices
Choices follow every moment of luck. They are found in the decisions we make when no one is watching. They live in the moments when we decide whether to enter a classroom or walk away from it, whether to listen to advice or ignore it, whether to seek a better future or settle for the one we have.
Choices are not always easy. Sometimes they are made under pressure, fear, or confusion. Still, they are important. Little by little, they shape character, direction, and destiny. Two people can be in the same place, facing the same struggle, and yet follow completely different paths because of the choices they make.
In the book, both Wes Moores faced difficult circumstances. Neither of their lives was easy. But time and again, we see how choice becomes the dividing line between their futures. One Wes ends up choosing discipline, responsibility, and growth. The other, overwhelmed by his environment and lack of guidance, chooses paths that lead to destruction.
This is what makes in a battle between luck and choice, end up winning the choice. Because it reminds us that, although we cannot control where we start, we can often control where we end up. Luck can open or close doors, but choice determines whether we stay there forever.
In the end, we are our choices. Build yourself a great story
Jeff Bezos
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