There is a Chinese legend about a wise farmer who had a son, a horse, and a neighbor. One morning the son rode off to the city, but the horse threw him and wandered off. So the son came back home without the horse. “What a misfortune!” said the neighbor. “How do you know?” responded the farmer.
The next morning the son set off to find the horse. He not only found the horse but also roped a splendid wild stallion. “What good fortune!” said the neighbor. “”How do you know?” answered the farmer.
The next morning the son began to break in the stallion, but the horse threw the boy, and the boy broke his arm. “What a misfortune!” said the neighbor. “How do you know” said the farmer.
The next morning the king’s recruiting officer came to the village to conscript all the young men for the latest insane war of the realm. Because of his broken arm the son escaped military service. “What good fortune!” said the neighbor. “How do you know?” asked the farmer. The next morning…the next morning… the next morning…
This legend teaches us that what we may initially view as fortune or misfortune may with the passage of time redefine itself. Some of the greatest trials of my life have proven themselves to be conduits of transformation, growth, and blessing. And some of the seemingly good fortunes which have come my way have proven themselves to be anything but blessings. The fickle nature of existence should come as no surprise to us, but we humans learn our most important lessons slowly and painfully, if at all. When our daughter was a teenager I often told her, “Miriam, there are two ways to learn—the easy way and the hard way. And you choose which way you will learn in life.” As I said those words, I was fully aware of how many times I have chosen the hard way in my own journey over the years.
Those persons who seem to find the most joy and purpose in life do not let this fickle nature of existence determine the way they live. They decide the basic way they will live the days that are theirs, and while remaining open to expanding truth, they choose to live from the center rather than allowing the periphery of life manipulate their moods, thoughts, and actions. These connoisseurs of life choose to be actors and not reactors. They will respond in love regardless of how their environment responds. They will be joyful regardless of the attitudes and events surrounding them. They will live out of hope and trust regardless of how often they see goodness and compassion crucified.
Such saints are not naïve or deranged. They have learned to live from the center. They have decided to live their lives on their terms in partnership with God. They have resolved to live abundantly and freely in a decaying and enslaving environment. They will not allow their happiness and peace to be determined by what may or may not prove to be good fortune or misfortune. They have gained the wisdom of living their lives in the days given to them by a Providence which can be trusted. May such wisdom be ours as we embrace the gift of life in all of its richness and potential morning by morning, because “Who knows?”
