Circumstances of Birth and Scholarship

Weird blog title, I know.
This morning, I was reading Witches' Night Out by Silver RavenWolf (its teen fiction but good all the same) and part of the story was talking about those born into witchcraft (a lineage of it in their family) and those who come to it by study and practice.
This reminded me of something I read a while back about following the religion you were born into rather than breaking from family tradition and how it just didn't feel true or right to me as a person who is the only practicing witch in my family (not counting the superstitions of Cherokee/Algonquin/Irish Appalachian family members).

It then occured to me why I wasn't born into a family of witches.
You see, I believe that we choose a good deal of what happens to us at least in the first parts of our lives before we are born. I guess I sort of imagine it as we are in limbo, awaiting rebirth, and deciding from knowledge of past lives and experiences what lessons we will need to learn in this lifetime to bring us one step closer to enlightenment and reunion with the Divine.

Th reason, I believe, I wasn't born in a family that practices witchcraft is because I am a person who feels knowledge is one of the most important things in the world. The Hindus called my personality type a Jnani Yogi - one who's purpose is To Know. J.K. Rowling would just call me a Ravenclaw, lol.
Because I am like this, and this attitude is something I feel is part of my spirit and not something cultivated in this lifetime, I do't think I would have taken any knowledge just handed to me of witchcraft if I was born into it.
To me, truth and knowledge are things worked for.
When I study crystals, I read every book I can from reputable authors and then spend hours making notes and diagrams and cajoling people into letting me practice on them by either adding their names to crystal grids, giving them crystals and/or letting me put crystals on them for healing.
If i was born into a practice where someone simply told me "this crystal grid is for that, and that's just how it is" it wouldn't be the same for me. I wouldn't have learned the lessons of self-discipline and scholarship I have learned and am still learning.

So looking back to those times when I met people born into a family tradition and felt so jealous, I wish I could hug myself and tell that younger, past self, don't be jealous. You are on the path you need to be on and it was the only way for you to learn your truth.
Instead of a time machine (where's Doctor Who) and helping past me, I figured I'd just share this lesson with you all in hopes that you might look at your own path and maybe see the reason certain things are laid out for you the way that they are.

Blessed Be