I couldn't agree with your comments more.
We can't choose a lot of things - whether we're homely or handsome, good at math, art, sports, writing, or none of the above, nice family or bad, rich uncles or uncles in the pen. But we can choose what we do with our life moment to moment, day to day. Turn right or left? Inject the heroin or not inject the heroin? Crack open the book and read, or click the remote and absorb mental offal?
Each day is a treasure chest filled with choices. One part a lot of people don't get, though, is that each choice comes with reactions that we have no choice but to accept, sooner or later. Called karmic reaction. Jesus said - As you sow, so shall you reap. Same thing.