You know what the greatest tragedy is in the whole world?, said Ginger, not paying him the least attention.It’s all the people who never find out what it is they really want to do or what it is they’re really good at. It’s all the sons who become blacksmiths because their fathers were blacksmiths. It’s all the people who could be really fantastic flute players who grow old and die without ever seeing a musical instrument, so they become bad ploughmen instead. It’s all the people with talents who never even find out. Maybe they are never even born in a time when it’s even possible to find out.
She took a deep breath. It’s all the people who never get to know what it is they can really be. It’s all the wasted chances.
Ramblings of the Disoriented Mind 
The greatest tragedy isn’t not knowing what you can be because – cynical as it may be, what you don’t know can’t hurt you.
(In economic terms — you can only factor in an opportunity cost if you know it exists!)
No. The real tragedy is for the people who know what they’re good at, what they can be, who would have chosen a different path, but don’t have the option…
It’s the young man who’s a doctor because his father wants him to be one, while he’d really rather study literature.
It’s the guy who knows he would be be a fantastic war photographer but is forced to work weddings because it pays better and is less dangerous, which is important because he has a family to support.
It’s the small town kid who knows he’s a far better football player than all those bozos in the League, but can’t afford to try to go play for the club’s rookie team because his father needs his help in the family shop.
That’s the real tragedy.
Well put ya Mohamed, extremely well put! Much as I’d like to take credit for the initial proposition, it’s actually an excerpt from my summer sea-side read 🙂
Which brings us back to the age old question do we live the lived we do because it is our destiny or can we shape our destiny?