Once upon a time, a farmer lived in a small village in China with his only son. He was a poor man because he had only one horse.
One day the horse disappeared and the farmer no longer had a horse to help him plow his field.
The other villagers came to the farmer, expressing their sympathy. „We feel so sorry for you. This is such bad luck.“
„We’ll see,“ said the farmer. „Good luck or bad luck. Time will tell.“
Some weeks later, the horse returned in the company of several other horses.
Astounded the villages came to the farmer. „You are so lucky. Now you have many horses and are a rich man.“
The farmer listened to them thoughtfully. „We‘ll see. Good luck or bad luck. Time will tell.“
Soon afterward his son fell from one of the horses and broke his leg.
Again the villagers came to express their sympathies, „such bad luck,“ they said. „Now you have nobody to help you.“
„We‘ll see,“ said the farmer. „Good luck or bad, time will tell.“
The next day, the Emperor’s army came to the village to conscript all able-bodied young men for the war, but the farmer’s son was exempted because of his broken leg.
Again, the villagers came to the farmer and congratulated him on his good fortune, but the farmer simply replied, “We’ll see.”
As it turned out, the war was a disaster for the Emperor’s army, and all the young men who had been conscripted were killed. Once again, the villagers came to the farmer and praised him for his good luck, but the farmer simply replied, “We’ll see.”
The story’s moral is that good luck can often turn out to be bad luck and vice versa.
The Taoist teachers telling this story advise their students to remain free from attachment. Wealth or poverty, death or birth, fortune or misfortune are often intertwined with everything underlying the law of impermanence.
If you are currently in a bad spot, be assured that this too shall pass. If you are currently rolling high, enjoy the moment as it lasts but don‘t get attached.
Millions of people playing the lottery each week think all their problems will be over if they win the jackpot. Many of those who indeed then win the lottery end up being miserable and even committing suicide because they haven‘t solved the underlying issue that is torturing their soul. Here you will find more information on the bankrupt statistics of lottery winners.
Or, are you one of the people counting the months and years until you can finally retire and start to live?
Be appreciative and mindful of life’s small miracles in the here and now. Focus your mind more on BEING rather than HAVING.
Ultimately everything is grace. From the day you were born, you began a journey to becoming who you really are.
Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor – Speaker
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