Life is full of choices. The power of choice is one of the best things about life. As

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1 "Men at some time are masters of their fates: the fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings." (Shakespeare, Julius Caesar) Life is full of choices. The power of choice is one of the best things about life. As Shakespeare wrote, Men at some time are masters of their fates: the fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings. This quote rings true for me. Everyone should be responsible for their actions, work hard, and make good choices. This message goes along with much of my upbringing so far, and with some of my favorite literature, the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. My family stresses values that center on good choices. As a result, a large part of how I ve been raised is to believe that I have power over what happens to me. It s not fate that I do well in school; it s not fate that I have good friends and good relationships with my parents, teachers, and coaches. I choose these things, and I find it empowering. Control over what happens to me is my responsibility. I prefer to think about life this way, even if fate exists. The quote, life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it, is also significant to me. You can control how you feel, and prevent external and uncontrollable circumstances from having too much of a negative effect. I m in control of my reactions, and I like that. My sport, running, and the lifestyle surrounding it require choice and discipline. Success doesn t happen by itself; sacrifice and hard work pay off immensely, and leaving it to fate oh, if I m meant to run fast, I will doesn t get you anywhere. My coach always stressed the importance of hard work, sleep, healthful eating, and no excuses. These are all choices forms of having a degree of control over what happens. It is possible to be the master of your fate in running. The good runner is the one who makes the best choices, not the one who s meant to be.

2 The fault is not in our stars, but in ourselves. It is important to be held accountable for one s actions. Honesty is another value that has been stressed in my life. Belief in fate lessens responsibility, in that fate could act as an excuse. Shakespeare s message about choice and humanism is reflected in one of my favorite series of novels, Harry Potter, which is full of powerful philosophy. In The Chamber of Secrets, Professor Dumbledore tells Harry, It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities (Rowling 333). They are talking about Harry s nervousness that he didn t belong in Gryffindor, and Dumbledore reassures him that he can control his fate. The Sorting Hat wanted to place him in Slytherin, but Harry chose Gryffindor, and that is what really mattered. During Harry s fifth year and forward, more focus is placed on the issue of prophecy, fate, and choice specifically one prophecy about Harry having to meet Voldemort in the end. In their discussions, Dumbledore says it is not the prophecy that is making Harry meet Voldemort, but his own personal choice: It was, he thought, the difference between being dragged into the arena to face a battle to the death and walking into the arena with your head held high. Some people, perhaps, would say that there was little to choose between the two ways, but Dumbledore knew - and so do I, thought Harry, with a rush of fierce pride, and so did my parents - that there was all the difference in the world (Rowling, Prince, 512). Harry chooses to fight because it is right, not because it is his fate. It still might be his destiny, but he sets himself apart from it. There are more prophecies in the Department of Mysteries that

3 Dumbledore says have never been fulfilled just because nobody has heard them, proving that people do have control over their own lives. Although brutal reality sometimes makes the responsibility less of a blessing, being in control of my life is something that I appreciate. Good choices and accountability are values I ve learned my entire life, and they are important to my view of the world. We are indeed masters of our own fates.

4 Works Cited Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. New York: Scholastic, Print. Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. New York: Scholastic, Print.

5 Rebuttal "It lies not in our power to love or hate, For will in us is over-rul'd by fate..." (Christopher Marlowe, Hero and Leander, 1598) Choices are part of fate o Our decisions lead up to what is meant to happen Silver linings, finding the good in situations o Search for the reason o In the future, something better happens to you that is only possible because of something bad in the present Relief knowing serving a higher purpose o Life can be stressful, sometimes it is comforting to think hey if it s meant to be Weird coincidences that turn out to be the best thing that happened to you o Make a decision to go a different way, for instance, and meet your best friend