"In Spite of" or "Because Of" That is the Question

There are so many stories of parents.  Of course we all have this story.  Absent or present, neglectful or controlling, good or bad, only the child can decide what each did or meant to him/her.  In the end whatever becomes of us, we are responsible for our lives.

Do we make good choices or bad choices?  Do we practice self love in these choices or do we sacrifice our life to love others?  The beginning of every life has a response to the environment we were raised in, the people we knew, how situations were handled in times of grief and hard times.

So if in the end you become very successful in the field of your choice and you marry well, have a happy family and relationship against all odds... is this "in spite of" or "because of" your parents and environment? Do you achieve more because you had less as a child or do you achieve more in spite of what you saw?  It's your perspective, an inside job.  It always boils down to this.

One thing for sure it definitely is because you took control of your life and circumstances, you took responsibility for your life, you make it what it is in the end.  We all do.