A Blessing in Disguise

I have always had a fondness for inspiring legends or tales that have a nugget of wisdom attached. I recall a Chinese tale from Huai Nanzi about an old man who lost a horse. This fable seems very relevant in today’s world:

One night the horse broke out of its pen and ran away. The man’s son cried, “Father, our prized horse has run away! How could this happen? This must be the worst day of our lives!”

The father smiled and calmly replied, “Is that so? Are you so certain?”

Shortly after the horse came back and along with the single horse came many more and now the poor farmer had a herd of horses. The son happily exclaimed, “Father, our horse has brought us more horses than I ever thought we could have! This is the greatest day of our lives!”

The wise father smiled and said calmly, “Is that so? Are you so certain?”

The next morning the son got up early to try and ride one of the new horses. He was bucked off and broke his leg. The farmer’s son said, “Father, I have broken my leg and now I cannot work in the fields. We may lose our crops. This is the worst day of my life.”

The father smiled and calmly replied, “Is that so? Are you so certain?”

Then war broke out in the state and the government sent soldiers to all the villages to recruit the young men for their front lines. They came to the farmer’s home for his son. They took the horses from him but upon seeing the son’s broken leg they did not take him. After the soldiers had left the village with all the other young men the farmer’s wife said, “This is the happiest day of our lives.”

The father smiled and calmly replied, “Is that so? Are you so certain?”

The road of life has all kinds of twists and turns that are unforeseen. What may look like the worst of times may provide the opportunity for something else. At the same time those times when things look like they are all going smoothly can get derailed.

No one is immune to the highs and lows of life. Those who do best are the ones who know how to handle both in moderation and do not over react when in deep valleys or high peaks.

By understanding moderation one is free from the bonds that can lead to an emotional roller coaster ride. The middle road does not mean to turn your emotions off but rather recognize the power one has in themselves to separate from the circumstances one faces. These two are not the same thing.

Once this occurs, outside circumstances, good or bad, are not as climatic and dismal. They are just circumstances. You become empowered. You become wise.

Remember, what seems like misfortune may turn out to be a blessing in disguise.