Who can say?
The following story was told last year in my Chinese Philosophy course by professor Ken Dorter. Dorter couldn't remember where he had read it. The story was told to illustrate a passage from the Tao Te Ching. Actually, now that I think of it, the passage it illustrates is the one just below the title of this blog.
I've told the story to nearly a half dozen people close to me during hard times and they've all claimed it was helpful. I just told it to a friend today and decided to post it here.
One day a farmer's horse ran off. Hearing of this, the farmer's neighbour paid him a visit to basically say, "Sorry 'bout your luck."
The farmer shrugged and said, "Who can say what is good and what is bad?"
The next day the horse came back. It brought a herd of wild horses with it. The neighbour paid another visit to say how great that was.
The farmer shrugged and said, "Who can say what is good and what is bad?"
The next day the farmer's son fell while breaking one of the new horses. He broke his leg, prompting another visit from the neighbour. The neighbour commented on how terrible it was that the son had broken his leg.
The farmer shrugged and said, "Who can say what is good and what is bad?"
The next day the army came around drafting all young men into service. Because of his leg, the son wasn't taken. Again came the neighbour saying how wonderful it was the son hadn't had to go fight.
Again, the farmer shrugged. Again he said, "Who can say what is good and what is bad?"
I've told the story to nearly a half dozen people close to me during hard times and they've all claimed it was helpful. I just told it to a friend today and decided to post it here.
One day a farmer's horse ran off. Hearing of this, the farmer's neighbour paid him a visit to basically say, "Sorry 'bout your luck."
The farmer shrugged and said, "Who can say what is good and what is bad?"
The next day the horse came back. It brought a herd of wild horses with it. The neighbour paid another visit to say how great that was.
The farmer shrugged and said, "Who can say what is good and what is bad?"
The next day the farmer's son fell while breaking one of the new horses. He broke his leg, prompting another visit from the neighbour. The neighbour commented on how terrible it was that the son had broken his leg.
The farmer shrugged and said, "Who can say what is good and what is bad?"
The next day the army came around drafting all young men into service. Because of his leg, the son wasn't taken. Again came the neighbour saying how wonderful it was the son hadn't had to go fight.
Again, the farmer shrugged. Again he said, "Who can say what is good and what is bad?"
