Losing a horse

Once upon a time, there was a farmer who lost one of his horses. It ran away. Hearing about his loss, all the neighbors came by that evening and gathered around the large kitchen table. “That’s too bad” was the general sentiment shared across the table.

And the farmer said: “Maybe”

The next day, the horse came back. It brought seven wild horses with it. And that evening the neighbors once again gathered around. From the previous day, the consensus changed: “What a wonderful development. This is great”

And the farmer said: “Maybe”

The army calls

The next day the farmer’s son tried to tame one of the new horses. He got hurt and injured his leg severely. All the neighbors came by that evening and gathered around once more. “That’s so unfortunate,” they agreed.

And the farmer said: “Maybe”

A week later the local army boss came around to call the farmer’s son to duty. Upon seeing the severely harmed leg, the army boss left empty-handed.

And the neighbors came by that evening and gathered around once more. “That’s such wonderful news.”

And the farmer said: “Maybe”

Lao Tzu

The whole process of nature is an integrated process of immense complexity. It is really impossible to tell whether anything that happens in it can be regarded as positive or negative.

You never know what the consequences of misfortune will be. And similarly the consequences of good fortune are beyond discovery. So, it might be better to try and live in such a way that nothing is either an advantage or disadvantage.