Most of the things in your life are not in your control - the

Hear the wise and tender words of Rana Daggubati, actor, storyteller, and thinker, who said: “Most of the things in your life are not in your control — the family you are born into, the parents, and the siblings you have. It is only friendship and love that you create for yourself in this lifetime.” In these few words lies a truth that echoes across ages — that much of life is given, not chosen, and that the rare and precious act of creation available to us is the building of relationships born from free will. His reflection reminds us that while fate places us within the boundaries of circumstance, it is love and friendship, consciously chosen, that allow the human soul to transcend those limits and shape its own destiny.

Rana Daggubati, known for his strength and presence on screen, here reveals a deeper wisdom — the awareness that power does not lie in control over the external, but in mastery of the internal. We are all born into worlds we did not choose: into families with histories, virtues, and flaws that are not our own. We inherit their joys and burdens alike. We cannot decide who our parents are, what culture we belong to, or which moment of history receives us. Yet within that seeming lack of choice lies the profound gift of freedom: the ability to create bonds that transcend blood and circumstance. For though family is given, friendship and love are forged — and in that forging, the human heart fulfills its highest purpose.

From the ancient times, sages and poets have known this truth. The philosopher Aristotle called friendship the “greatest of virtues,” for it arises from mutual recognition — a deliberate joining of souls who choose one another, not out of obligation, but out of understanding. Love, too, in all its forms, is a creation of the spirit. Unlike family, which is destiny’s gift, love is the art of the will — a bond shaped by empathy, trust, and devotion. It is the one realm where man becomes co-creator with the divine, crafting something eternal from his own heart’s intention.

Consider the story of Siddhartha Gautama, who became the Buddha. Born into royalty, surrounded by comfort, he had no control over the family or the kingdom into which he was born. Yet when he walked away from the palace, seeking truth, he chose companions — friends on the path of enlightenment. They were not bound to him by blood, but by purpose and compassion. Through that chosen fellowship, he learned that true connection is not imposed by destiny, but discovered by the soul. The Buddha’s life teaches us that liberation comes not from the family we inherit, but from the bonds of understanding and love we build along the way.

Rana Daggubati’s words also remind us of humility — that life is not ours to command. The illusion of control is easily shattered by time, fortune, and chance. We do not choose where we begin, but we can choose how we walk the path given to us. The hands we reach for, the hearts we open to — these are the choices that define our humanity. To create friendship is to take part in the divine act of shaping destiny within the limits of fate. And to love, deeply and selflessly, is to give meaning to the very circumstances we could not choose.

Yet, this creation is not effortless. Friendship and love are not gifts to be received, but crafts to be honed. They demand courage — the courage to be seen, to forgive, to endure, and to give without measure. In a world of constant change, these chosen bonds become our anchors, our mirrors, our proof that within the uncontrollable chaos of life, something sacred can still be built by our own hands. To love another freely is to rebel against the tyranny of fate; it is to declare, “Though I did not choose where I began, I choose where I belong.”

The lesson, then, is both simple and eternal: accept what is given, and treasure what you can create. Do not lament the limits of control, for in those limits lies your opportunity to love. Family, fortune, and circumstance may be written before your birth, but friendship and love are the verses you add to your story. Choose your companions with wisdom, nurture your bonds with patience, and give of yourself without fear. For these are the acts that turn existence into art, and survival into meaning.

So, dear listener, remember Rana Daggubati’s wisdom: the hands of fate may place you where you stand, but the heart has its own power — to reach out, to connect, to build. Make of your friendships a sanctuary, of your love a creation of purpose. Let the relationships you forge be your true masterpiece, for they are the only part of life that is wholly, wondrously, yours to create.