I've heard a lot of life stories these past few weeks and I'm constantly reminded how much of our lives are really up to chance. Sure, hard work and dedication usually produces positive results, but life also has an element of randomness to it just to keep things interesting. Opportunities present themselves... or they don't.
You choose a college because it offers more financial aid and meet your husband or wife there. You decide to drop out of school to chase after a dream that never realizes. You have a kid and discover a whole other part of your life that you never knew was missing. A loved one gets sick and it changes how you evaluate your life priorities. You go through a painful separation only to meet the person you're meant to share your life with a few years later. Life can be oh-so random and it makes for one hell of a story.
Think about your own life trajectory. It's never a straight line. How did you get from there to here? What moments in your life were unexpected? They can bring failures and heartbreak, but they also can bring joy. And it's the next question that really brings it home: How did you deal with that curveball?
That's where the lessons live. These are the stories that our kids and future generations need to hear. It keeps things interesting, like any good page turner should be!