Update on East of Eden

I finished East of Eden today. Having finished the book, I am surprised by the feelings of power that it gave me. One theme of the book (and I would say the main theme) is that people are able to choose who and what they are in this life. And they do that by either accepting themselves and the people around them, or by not accepting. Accepting or not accepting both have consequences, some good, some bad. But by choosing, people are powerful and god-like. Those that believe they act in a certain way because that is just how they are, feel and are powerless. It is really in choosing that we give ourselves power in our lives.

I've been thinking a lot lately about the power to choose happiness. And I really feel that I am capable of choosing happiness in a lot of different situations. And if that's the case, why wouldn't I choose to be happy? I think that sometimes I decline happiness because I want to have it given to me instead of creating it. Sometimes I decline it because it isn't easy to choose happiness. It takes work. And sometimes I decline it because for a little while I enjoy misery. But eventually, you have to realize that these reasons aren't good enough and that happiness is worth so much more.

These are some of my thoughts from reading East of Eden. Have any of you read it? And what did you think?