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Home » The Story of the Chinese Farmer

The Story of the Chinese Farmer

By Jordan Leave a Comment | Last updated on February 6, 2022

Once upon a time there was a Chinese farmer whose horse ran away.

As soon as the farmer’s neighbors heard about it they all came to share their sympathy. “Sorry your horse ran away”, they said. “That’s a terrible thing…”

To which the farmer responded:

“Maybe.”

The very next day the farmer’s horse returned with 8 wild horses.

When the farmer’s neighbors saw his new herd of horses they ran over to congratulate him. “You have 9 horses now, what luck!”

“Maybe.” The wise old farmer replied.

Later on, the farmer’s son tried to break one of the wild horses, and was thrown to the ground and broke his leg.

News spread about the incident and the farmer’s neighbors visited to express their pity. “How awful for your son to have broken his leg like that. What a shame…”

“Maybe.”

Soon after the injury a conscription officer knocked on the farmer’s door to draft his son into the war.

The officer passed because the boy could barely walk, and went on to the other homes in the village to recruit their sons.

The moral of the story?

Sometimes a Setback is a Set Up

“You never know what will be the consequences of bad fortune and you never know what will be the consequences of good fortune.” – Alan Watts

You never know if a single event is ever really good or bad. No event stands alone. There’s always a prior event that led up to the current event, and there’s always a following event. Each come and go one after another after another. On and on forever with the flow of time. One thing leads to the next, and the next thing leads to another.

Just take the next best step. confront each event as it occurs and make the most of it. You never know what it’s pushing you toward or keeping you from.

A detour can take you to your destiny.

Misfortunes can be Miracles in Disguise

Like the farmer in our story, if his horse didn’t run away, his son may have left home and never returned.

Lose your job?

Maybe it’s the perfect time to start that business you’ve been thinking about.

Flight got cancelled last minute?

Maybe you’ll meet an important person at the airport bar.

When things don’t go as planned it opens you up to serendipity. And serendipity is a beautiful thing.

So don’t get bummed out when things don’t go your way. What you want just might be working itself out in a roundabout way.

You Never Know How Life Will Unfold

Life is infinitely complex and there are things that occur that we have no way of knowing their outcome. Sometimes life doesn’t work out like we want it to, and it could be for our benefit. Keep plugging away. What you want is out there. It’s just a matter of catching it at the right place and time.

And if you get knocked off the horse, dust yourself off and get back to it. Sometimes getting knocked flat gives you a new perspective. The same when life lifts you up or turns you upside down. Whatever you’re dealt, however the game develops, it’s up to you to make the most of it.

The only thing we really have control over is ourselves. Our reactions, responses and thoughts about what unfolds in our lives.

If you have a strong desire for an outcome, and your actions align with your desire, then you’ll likely get it.

So when things don’t go according to plan, don’t fret, find the Light instead. And always be prepared to fight the Good fight. Stay positive and optimistic that good things will happen because you usually find what you’re looking for. And somehow, someway the world will conspire to help you find it.

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About Jordan

Creator of Iron & Grit. Find me at the gym. How can I help you? Follow me on Instagram for fitness tips and meal ideas @ironandgrit

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