That Proverb

I keep thinking of this Buddhist proverb, and this year it's been one of my guiding principles. Keep calm, don't assume anything. Things are going to be happening, and you can't let them ruffle you up like that. Apologies to anyone who knows this story better than me - I am basing this on a memory from many years back. The monk who told the story took it nice and slow, but I'm doing more of a summary.


A long time ago, in a rural village, there was a farmer who had one son. One day a wild horse came to their farm and the son tamed it. All of the farmer's neighbors came by and said, "How lucky of you! You are so fortunate to find a horse like this." And the farmer replied, "I'm not so sure. Not everything that seems good is really so good." All of the neighbors were startled by his words and thought him ungrateful for this gift from nature.

The next day, the son went out riding the new horse. The horse bucked him off and the son was badly injured and unable to walk. All of the neighbors returned to the farmer's cottage and paid their condolences. "This is a terrible thing. We are so sorry your son is hurt." And the farmer looked into his tea and said, "Not everything that seems bad is really so bad." Again, the neighbors were bewildered by the man's words. How could he think his son's pain was a good thing?

The day after that, the emperor's minister came through town with an announcement:
all healthy firstborn males will be taken by the emperor for his army immediately. As the farmer's son was badly injured, he was allowed to stay in the village.

There might be more to the story, but you get the point. I feel like this proverb is especially poignant in this time of uncertainty. Politics, economics, emotions: I am trying to understand that these things are not two-sided like coins, but multi-sided and worthy of our patience.