Repeated often enough, even the wildly unpredictable starts to follow a pattern.
We are so used to witnessing those patterns of change that we hardly even notice them.
Better still, they become cliches, or jokes, or stories.
Identifying those predictable patterns in the ever-changing, perpetually unpredictable void we inhabit gives us a big advantage.
It can also provide some solace and comfort when things take a turn for the worst.
That’s life, we might say; c’est la vie.
One of my favourite is the rule of threes.
Whether it’s a city bus or a fuck up, you can bet they’ll come in threes.
So if you’ve only stubbed your toe twice today, you’ve got one more coming.
And if you’re waiting for a bus — wait for the second one — it won’t be long and will have spare seats.