I also believe that most of us are responsible for the lives that we live, for the choices we make. There are few exceptions to this rule, but mostly, I believe, it is true. There seems to be a popular trend these days to blame others for your own weaknesses and faults, to play victim, to whine and lament about unfairness and injustices imposed on "poor me".

I can't say it any better than Cheryl Strayed: “Nobody's going to do your life for you. You have to do it yourself, whether you're rich or poor, out of money or raking it in, the beneficiary of ridiculous fortune or terrible injustice. And you have to do it no matter what is true. No matter what is hard. No matter what unjust, sad, sucky things befall you. Self-pity is a dead-end road. You make the choice to drive down it. It's up to you to decide to stay parked there or to turn around and drive out.”

It looks like you did just fine with your life, the way you wanted it to be. Good for you :-)!