Look beyond. Have you heard of this parable?
When an old farmer’s stallion won a prize at a country show, his neighbour called round to congratulate him, but the old farmer said, “Who knows what is good and what is bad?”
The next day some thieves came and stole the valuable animal. When the neighbour came to commiserate with him, the old man replied, “Who knows what is good and what is bad?”
A few days later the spirited stallion escaped from the thieves and joined a herd of wild mares, leading them back to the farm. The neighbour called in to share the farmer’s joy, but the farmer responded, “Who knows what is good and what is bad?”
The following day, while trying to break in one of the mares, the farmer’s son got thrown and fractured his leg. The neighbour called to share the farmer’s sorrow, but the old man’s attitude remained the same as before.
The following week the army passed by, forcibly conscripting soldiers for the war, but they did not take the farmer’s son because he couldn’t walk. And the neighbour thought to himself, “Who knows what is good and what is bad?” realising that the old farmer must be a Taoist sage.
Are you a good judge of character? A situation?
Source: Who Knows What is Good and What is Bad – Taoist Parable
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