Is it a good thing, or is it a bad thing?
Posted: January 14th, 2010, 6:18 pm
Or, The Parable of the Wise Chinese Man
Long, long ago, there lived an old Chinese man. He owned one horse and one acre of land. He had one son. One night, the gate to his corral was left open. He left the house the next morning to find his only horse missing.
As the man looked for his horse, his neighbors began to gather around. “That was your only horse,” they said, “what will you do now?”
“Well,” the old man said, “I haven’t decided if it is a good thing or a bad thing.”
They assured him it was a bad thing.
When the horse left the old man’s property, it ran off into the desert. After many days of searching for water, it returned home. It brought nine other horses with it. Seeing all the commotion at the old man’s place, all his neighbors ran over to congratulate him.
“You know,” he told them, “I haven’t decided yet if this is a good thing or a bad thing.”
They assured him it was a good thing.
Two days later, the old man’s only son went to break one of the horses. He climbed onto its back and began the process. A few minutes later, the son fell and broke his leg. The doctor came, followed by the man’s neighbors.
“Oh no!” they cried, “he’s your only son. Who will help you run your farm now?”
“I don’t know,” he replied, “but I haven’t decided if this is a good thing or a bad thing.”
They assured him it was a bad thing.
Three weeks later, China went to war. Officials came to the old man’s town and gathered up all the able-bodied men to fight. With his broken leg, the man’s son was left behind. Later that month, the troops were led into a terrible battle and all the townsmen were killed.
---
The story could continue on forever, but the point was made. Sometimes things happen that we cannot control. In the moment, we can't see the big picture; we are unable to know if it is a good thing or a bad thing.
Live your life the best you know how. Work every day to reach your goals and achieve you dreams. Take charge of the things you can control. The things you can't control? Hope for the best, take what you get, and don't decide in the heat of the moment that it is a bad thing.
Sometimes the "bad thing" is what is best for us.
* *Rachel Bateman* *
Long, long ago, there lived an old Chinese man. He owned one horse and one acre of land. He had one son. One night, the gate to his corral was left open. He left the house the next morning to find his only horse missing.
As the man looked for his horse, his neighbors began to gather around. “That was your only horse,” they said, “what will you do now?”
“Well,” the old man said, “I haven’t decided if it is a good thing or a bad thing.”
They assured him it was a bad thing.
When the horse left the old man’s property, it ran off into the desert. After many days of searching for water, it returned home. It brought nine other horses with it. Seeing all the commotion at the old man’s place, all his neighbors ran over to congratulate him.
“You know,” he told them, “I haven’t decided yet if this is a good thing or a bad thing.”
They assured him it was a good thing.
Two days later, the old man’s only son went to break one of the horses. He climbed onto its back and began the process. A few minutes later, the son fell and broke his leg. The doctor came, followed by the man’s neighbors.
“Oh no!” they cried, “he’s your only son. Who will help you run your farm now?”
“I don’t know,” he replied, “but I haven’t decided if this is a good thing or a bad thing.”
They assured him it was a bad thing.
Three weeks later, China went to war. Officials came to the old man’s town and gathered up all the able-bodied men to fight. With his broken leg, the man’s son was left behind. Later that month, the troops were led into a terrible battle and all the townsmen were killed.
---
The story could continue on forever, but the point was made. Sometimes things happen that we cannot control. In the moment, we can't see the big picture; we are unable to know if it is a good thing or a bad thing.
Live your life the best you know how. Work every day to reach your goals and achieve you dreams. Take charge of the things you can control. The things you can't control? Hope for the best, take what you get, and don't decide in the heat of the moment that it is a bad thing.
Sometimes the "bad thing" is what is best for us.
* *Rachel Bateman* *