Evoloution and Adaptation, a writers best friends?

It is funny how you can have a plan on how the story is to go. You write away, merrily humming, then, without warning, your character does something that you did not anticipate. This changes the direction of your story, it adds a previously un-thought of (though, now obvious and correct) dimension to that character, and totally changes your plan! You find yourself needing to adapt to something that your character did all by themselves! I am an advocate of the school of thought that the story already exists, and we as the story tellers are the tool's of it's will, not the other way around. I am discovering as I write, the depth, humor, and emotion of real people having real experiences. This may sound somewhat schizophrenic, but the more I write, the more real these characters become. So, adapting and evolving based on the unexpected things that your characters do. Is it a good thing? Should a writer allow their characters the freedom of agency in their actions or should a writer exercise tyrannical control over the actions of their characters? What is your opinion? The quote for this entry comes from (I hope originally) the story that I am writing, "Time is the enemy of memories." Anyway, leave your comments and questions below. Is there any aspect of writing that you would like me to address in this blog? Any good ideas for amateurs like me? Give me feedback. Let me know that I am not simply spewing words into the endless depths of cyberspace. Until next time...