“How we are almost nothing. We think, in our youth, we are the centre of the universe, but we simply respond, go this way or that by accident, survive or improve by the luck of the draw, with little choice or determination on our part.”

Michael Ondaatje

Michael Ondaatje - “How we are almost nothing. We think...” 1

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“It is how we respond to loss that matters. That response will largely determine the quality, the direction, and the impact of our lives.”

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“We almost always have choices, and the better the choice, the more we will be in control of our lives.”

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“People "at the top" are eager to attribute their position to their own intellect, savvy, and hard work. The reality is much more complicated. Personal connections, family environment, and what appears to be plain luck determine how successful a person is. We are the product of three things- genetics, environment, and our personal choices- but two of these three factors we have no power over. We are not nearly as responsible for our success as our popular views of God and reality lead us to think.”

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