Life is not what happens to us it is what we choose after that

On the outskirts of a peaceful village, a narrow road stretched through open fields and quiet homes. Though it looked ordinary, the people of the village knew its hidden danger—snakes often slithered across it, sometimes even reaching the entrance of houses. The villagers had learned to stay cautious, but not everyone who passed through was aware of the risk.

One afternoon, a man named Ram was traveling along this road when his vehicle suddenly broke down. He tried to restart it, but the engine refused to cooperate. With no other option, he decided to walk. The sun was still high, and the road stretched ahead, empty and silent except for the occasional rustling of leaves. As Ram walked, deep in thought about his journey, he stepped too close to the edge of the path where a snake was resting in the shade. Feeling threatened, the snake reacted instinctively—it bit him.At first, Ram didn’t realize what had happened. The sharp pain in his leg sent a wave of shock through his body, but confusion clouded his mind. When he finally looked down and saw the two puncture marks on his skin, panic set in. His heartbeat raced, and his breathing became unsteady.

Then came the anger. “Why did this happen to me?” he thought. “I was just walking! I didn’t do anything to deserve this!”

Blinded by frustration, Ram’s focus shifted from survival to revenge. He scanned the ground for a rock or a stick, determined to strike back at the snake. His mind played out different scenarios—if only he had walked faster, if only he had seen the snake earlier, if only life was fair. His anger grew, and precious minutes slipped away. Finally, he pulled out his phone and dialed for help. His hands trembled as he tied a handkerchief around his wound, but the venom had already spread. By the time the ambulance arrived, Ram's vision was blurred, and his body felt weak. He was rushed to the hospital, but the doctors shook their heads. “If he had come just five minutes earlier, we could have saved him,”

they said. Those five minutes—lost in anger and blame—had cost him his life.

A few days later, another man, Suresh, walked the same road. He was busy talking to a friend on his phone, unaware of the danger lurking nearby. Just like before, a snake appeared from the side of the road, and before Suresh could react, it bit him.Pain shot through his leg, but instead of wasting time questioning why it happened, Suresh acted quickly. He took a deep breath, steadying himself. He had heard stories about snake bites before, and he knew that time was crucial. Without hesitation, he called an ambulance. Then, he grabbed his handkerchief and tied it tightly around his wound to slow the venom’s spread. Unlike Ram, who had lost time in anger, Suresh focused only on what needed to be done.

Minutes later, the ambulance arrived. The medical team worked swiftly, and by the time he reached the hospital, the doctors were able to treat him successfully. Suresh survived.The same five minutes that Ram had wasted in frustration, Suresh had used wisely. That simple choice had made all the difference.

The Lesson

Life is unpredictable. Challenges appear without warning, and often, they feel unfair. When something bad happens, our first instinct is to ask, “Why me?” We get stuck in frustration, blame, or regret. We focus on how things should have been different instead of accepting what is.

But the truth is, healing is our own responsibility. No one else can do it for us.

Ram wasted time trying to make sense of what happened, but that didn't help him survive. He was caught in the idea of fairness, believing that since he did nothing wrong, he shouldn’t have been bitten. But life doesn’t work that way. Struggles don’t come because we deserve them; they just happen. What matters is what we do next. Suresh, on the other hand, didn’t waste time questioning fate. He didn’t get lost in anger or fear. He made a choice—to focus on healing, on taking action, on doing whatever was necessary to survive. This story isn’t just about snake bites. It’s about how we respond to difficulties in life. Sometimes, unexpected hardships strike—loss, failure, rejection, heartbreak. When they do, we have two choices:

We can either get stuck in pain and anger, wasting precious time trying to make sense of things that have already happened, or we can focus on moving forward, doing what we can to heal. Life is not about what happens to us. Life is about what we choose to do next. Struggles may shake us, break us, and make us feel lost. But no matter how hard things get, our soul never truly breaks. We always have the ability to transform ourselves—if we choose healing over suffering.