Ever since I was a child I have loved folk tales, proverbs and fables. I have been thinking lately about luck and how good fortune is seen. One story has stuck with me which I wanted to share today:
A farmer and his son had a beloved stallion who helped the family with the farming. One day the horse ran away and the villagers, said “Your horse has ran away, what terrible luck” and the farmer replied “maybe so, maybe not, we’ll see”
A few days later the horse returns leading a few wild mares back to the farm. The villagers said “Your horse has returned and brought you some new horses to train, what great luck” And the farmer replied “maybe so, maybe not, we’ll see”
Later that week the farmer’s son was trying to break one fo the new mares in and fell and broke his leg. the villagers said “Your son has hurt himself and broken his leg, what terrible luck” And the farmer replied “maybe so, maybe not, we’ll see”
A few weeks later, soldiers from the national army marched through the village recruiting all able bodied boys for the army. They did not take the farmer’s son as he had a broken leg. The villagers said, “your boy was spared, what tremendous luck!” And the farmer replied “maybe so, maybe not, we’ll see”
The moral of this story is that no event is in itself can be judged as good or bad luck. Only over time can we draw a conclusion if it were fortunate or not. Even over time no one lives the whole story and so it is a great waste of time to judge moments of fortune one way or another.
Sea's The Day 