A coin flips, flips and falls on one side. Like that, fate is determined and life is lived in both mystery and ruins.
A man wishes for something, and all he gets is what he is given. Another lives his life and gets both of what he wants and what is given. A time and place have to be perfect for one to move forward. If not, then they are stuck with what they got.
And that is the oldest tale in the book.