In a larger sense, I take the view (espoused well by James Hillman) that we all write our narratives in reverse. You can look back and see the past as a series of arbitrary events that happened to you. Or you can tell the story of the trials and triumphs that were essential elements in making you who you are today. Both are equally valid ways of looking at the world, but I find one more empowering than the other.
http://blog.enfranchisedmind.com/2013/11/congratulations-you-are-screwed/