Embracing Life’s Uncertainties: A Taoist Parable

A few days later the stallion returned with a herd of wild horses.  The neighbors gathered around saying “Very good luck.”  “Bad luck, good luck, who knows,” said the farmer.

A week later the farmer’s son was trying to tame one of the horses and was thrown from the horse and broke his leg.  The neighbors gathered and said “Very bad luck.”  “Bad luck, good luck, who knows,” said the farmer.

Several weeks later the Chinese army came to the town looking for able-bodied youth to join the army and fight. When the soldiers came to the farmer’s house and saw the boy’s broken leg, they left him alone and moved on.  The neighbors gathered saying “Very good luck.”

“Bad luck, good luck, who knows?”

Can any single event, in and of itself, be judged as good or bad? Or does time tell the whole story? But, who lives long enough to know the “whole story”?

The lesson is in accepting and making the best of what is.