“I cried because I had
no shoes until I saw a man with no feet”
Buddha
Sometimes, learning to consider alternative ways of viewing the events in our lives can be beneficial by reducing negative feelings and thoughts and learning to see the potential good, as well as the potential for a seemingly bad situation to not be all bad. This, of course, takes much practice, but is within everyone's reach. (We perceive…believe…emotions…behavior…consequences)
“Men are disturbed not by
things, but by the view which they take of them”
~ Epictetus
Long ago in
China there was an old farmer. With the same horse this old farmer had plowed
and worked his land for many years when one day his horse suddenly ran away. As
news of this reached his neighbors, the old farmer was met with sympathy.
Neighbors visited throughout the day saying, "Wow, what bad luck to have
your horse run away!"
The old
farmer would think for a moment then say softly, "Perhaps..."
The next
morning the old farmer awoke to find his horse had returned. With the horse
were several wild horses who had apparently followed the horse home. Neighbors
rejoiced, visiting the old farmer to express how happy they were for his sudden
good fortune.
The old
farmer would think for a moment then say softly, "Perhaps..."
Shortly
after, the old farmer's son decided to try to ride one of the wild horses.
Climbing on the horses back, the boy knocked the animal hard with his leg
shouting for the horse to go. Startled, and probably a little annoyed, the horse
flung the boy off its back. The old farmer's son broke his leg in the fall.
Again, neighbors came to offer their sympathies for the misfortune, "What
a horrible string of bad luck you're having!"
The old
farmer would think for a moment then say softly, "Perhaps..."The very next day, military officials came into the village with orders to draft young men into military service. As they went from home to home, rounding up young men, they made their way to the old farmer's house. Upon seeing the farmer's son with his broken leg they decided to move on, leaving the boy alone. Once again, neighbors came to share words of congratulations to the old farmer for the good fortune to have his son passed by.
And again,
the old farmer would think for a moment then say softly, "Perhaps..."
~
Epictetus
No comments:
Post a Comment