A child finds new love and loyalties through marriage. The family's principle bread-winner is laid off. Our ability to cope with change and disruption determines, to a great degree, our peace, happiness and contentment in life. Philosophers have considered the question for centuries, and their responses have been varied. You can't organize the ocean.
Waves just happen.
You ride 'em where they take you, then you paddle back out there and catch the next one. Sure, you're always hoping for the perfect wave where you can get, like, you know, totally tubular. But mostly you just take 'em the way they come. No matter how deft your organizational skills, there will always be life-influencing factors over which you have no control. That doesn't mean you don't keep trying to make all your dreams come true.