What we can or can not choose?

"You don't get to choose how you're going to die, or when. 

  You can only decide how you're going to live"

                                                            ' Joan Baez'

Recently, I saw the above quote by an American singer.

It is a very profound statement. 

To come to think of it, we did not choose when and where to be born.

We did not choose our parents or the country and the place of our birth - nor we can choose when and how our life will end.

Similarly, we can neither pick and choose to erase the events of our past - nor we can choose the circumstances and events of our future.

But we can choose and decide what to do now - in the present moment. 

Living in the present moment does not mean that we completely forget the past or do not think about the future at all.

It simply means that we do not keep on living in the past all the time - continually dwelling on the glories or regrets of the past - nor keep on just dreaming and fantasizing about the future. 

It's what we do in the present that decides the fate of our future. 

It means, to secure a better future, we must plan and work accordingly in the present.

Ultimately, it's up to us to choose how we want to live our lives - which principles and standards we hold and follow to elevate ourselves.

We need to continually evaluate what's deep inside our mind - by continually and sincerely observing our thoughts and desires, not subjectively, but objectively - as an observer. Which is classified as Sakshi-Bhaava in Bhagavad Geeta and the Upanishads.  

                                       'Rajan Sachdeva'