Jorge Luis Borges, writer (1899-1986)

A writer -- and, I believe, generally all persons -- must think that whatever happens to him or her is a resource. All things have been given to us for a purpose, and an artist must feel this more intensely. All that happens to us, including our humiliations, our misfortunes, our embarrassments, all is given to us as raw material, as clay, so that we may shape our art. -Jorge Luis Borges, writer (1899-1986)

From a Christian perspective one would say that all these aspects of life are given to us by God so that by His grace we can shape our lives as works of art fit for eternal life.