Recently I read this story of a Chinese farmer:

Once there was a Chinese farmer who worked his poor farm together with his son and their horse. When the horse ran off one day, neighbors came to say, “How unfortunate for you!” The farmer replied, “Maybe yes, maybe no.”

When the horse returned, followed by a herd of wild horses, the neighbors gathered around and exclaimed, “What good luck for you!” The farmer stayed calm and replied, “Maybe yes, maybe no.”

While trying to tame one of wild horses, the farmer’s son fell, and broke his leg. He had to rest up and couldn’t help with the farm chores. “How sad for you,” the neighbors cried. “Maybe yes, maybe no,” said the farmer.

Shortly thereafter, a neighboring army threatened the farmer’s village. All the young men in the village were drafted to fight the invaders. Many died. But the farmer’s son had been left out of the fighting because of his broken leg. People said to the farmer, “What a good thing your son couldn’t fight!” “Maybe yes, maybe no,” was all the farmer said.

I have a tendency to jump to the worst conclusions when any event occurs. Oh no, why this! Why now! Why me! That’s my reaction. But when I think about it a bit after my initial disappointment, I realize that the event was actually not so bad and might even lead to something much better. In other words, what I thought was a curse was actually a blessing in disguise! There is something for me to learn from this story of the farmer. What seems good might actually not be so good and what seems bad at first sight, might actually not be so terrible. I suppose then one must cultivate a bit of a stoic cum open-minded attitude? Or hope that even in what looks bad one might be able to find hidden opportunities? Maybe one must look at every event as a door that could lead in many directions rather than a dead end or the end of the story. The story continues… until the end… and we in many ways have the power to shape its trajectory until we can’t no more.