Let’s face it. Reality strikes only when bad things happen. Or should I say, this is what and how we think.

Say, your life’s theme for 2014 was Y.O.L.O. which means “You’ll Only Live Once” or Y.O.Y.O. which means “You’re Only Young Once” which actually exude the same meaning: “You’ll only live once. You’re only young once. Hence, do what makes you happy. Do everything you can now that you live. Commit mistakes. You are young, anyway.” All these result to the doing of our choices in life. But when bad things happen…

“Life is such a bitch.”

“God does not love me.”

“Why me? I’m a generous person. Why does not this happen to immoral, selfish and good-for-nothing people?”

You think and say these, or even worse. But why? Has it not occurred to you that all that’s happening is for a cause? That everything happens for a reason and those reasons could be attributed to YOUR choices in life that led to these unwanted consequences? You do everything you want as what your Y.O.L.O or Y.O.Y.O. says but you blame everything on fate when you fall down on a pit. You borrow money from a friend to pay for a concert ticket. Your reason: Y.O.L.O. And when the time comes when you have to pay your debt, you drown yourself with self-pity and ask yourself why you are poor and miserable until you start blaming your parents for not being wealthy. You don’t go to classes because you want to enjoy life outside your classrooms with friends who don’t have high regards for education and when we age and go back to your schooling days, you would regret not attending your Math or Programming classes now that you need them for work. You fall in love and do everything you are curious about because you are young and free. Then you’ll regret doing such only when you realize you’re not ready for the challenges of the real-world and you just want to cry for your momma’s name.

Examples have been given and admit it or not, these are all familiar to you. You may not be born with a silver spoon but you can choose to study and work hard to achieve your dreams. You may not have a happy family life but you can always choose to have faith and hope that the pieces of the puzzle will soon be formed into a joyous picture of your family. You may have had a broken heart but you have a choice to find yourself and make it whole again. You may not be good in English but you can always choose to be better at it by practicing speaking it every day. You may not have confidence but you have a choice to break the barriers and conquer your fears.

Now, do you realize that you are the master of your life? You hold the pen that writes the chapters in your book of life. God is there looking over you to pat your back when you do a great job and to tap you back to life’s challenges when you are already forgetting to call on His name.

I’m not saying that you have to be perfect. They say experience is the best teacher, yes. And you sometimes learn from your mistakes, yes. But I dare say that you choose the kind of mistakes you will learn from. Even with that, you have the power to choose. Choose the ones that will make you a better and learned person. Choose the ones that are worthy of your hardship and tears.

At the end of the day, you make your choices and consequences. You shall never blame the bad things on bad luck or on other people. YOU live your life. No one can dictate what you have to do. You make your choices, you do them, and in turn, you experience consequences. And the reality is, YOU are responsible for your own choices and consequences. YOU are responsible for your life.

By Erika M. Ilagan