The story is relatively short in its essence with a very powerful message. It’s not about the quantity, it’s about the quality of it.
Once upon a time, there a Chinese Farmer, who lost a horse, the horse ran away one day without any reason.
All the neighbors came around that evening and said “That’s too bad”
The farmer said “Maybe…”
The next day the horse came back and brought seven wild horses with it.
All the neighbors came around again and said “ Well this is great isn’t it? You have 7 more horses now.”
The farmer said “Maybe…”
The next day the farmer’s son, was tempting to taint one of the wild horses that came the other day while was riding it. He was thrown off the horse and broke his leg.
All the neighbors came around again in the evening and “Well that’s too bad, isn’t it? Your son broke his leg from those wild horses”
And the farmer said “Maybe….”
The next day, the conscription officers came around looking for people to roll in the army, and they rejected his son because he had a broken leg.
All the neighbors came around that evening and said: “Well that’s great, isn’t it wonderful?”
And the farmer said “Maybe…”
This whole process of nature looks like it’s an integrated process of immense complexity, and it is really impossible to tell whether anything that happens in it, it’s Good or Bad.
You never know what will be the consequences of a misfortune.
And you will never know what will be the consequences of a good fortune.
This is the moral of this short story, anything that happens in your life might have good or bad consequences regardless of the things that happen in your life are good or bad.
Next time if something good happens to you remember this story, and even more importantly if something bad happens to you, always remember this story. It’s a huge help and a big boost to set your perspective right.
Source – Allan watts – Wiara
