Life is all of the cliches otherwise they would not all be bandied about so much. I agree that life is what you make it but more importantly I think life is what others make it.

Having travelled the world and experienced a variety of things it is the people that I have met along the way that have shaped my life.

Each person elicits a reaction, good or bad that leads you to act in a certain way or take a certain path. The consequences of these actions are your life. If you are really lucky you will be 'that person' to someone else and they will have a defining moment and the consequences of your meeting improve their life. That defining momement may not seem big to you but it could mean a whole lot to them!