Do you ever experience self-doubt or feel confused about life?

Probably not, huh? I never know what’s a “me” thing and what’s a “being human” thing. Experiencing self-doubt and feeling confused about life probably doesn’t ever happen to the rest of you. Ever.

But, on the very, very slim chance that it does, I want to share a short parable.

Sam was the first person to share it with me and he reminded me of it this weekend when I was feeling a smidgen out of sorts. (Feeling a smidgen out of sorts = actively apologizing to him for making a decision that ruined our lives…unless, of course, it hadn’t ruined our lives and was actually a great decision.)

Here’s the story. It’s a famous Taoist parable at the root of the Chinese proverb 塞翁失馬 (Sāi Wēng Shī Mǎ), which translates to “Sāi Wēng lost his horse.”

A long time ago, there was a farmer named Sāi Wēng who lived on the frontier. One day, his prized horse ran away. That evening, all of his neighbors came around to commiserate. They said, “We are so sorry to hear your horse has run away. This is most unfortunate.” But Sāi Wēng simply asked, “Maybe. Could be good, could be bad, who’s to say?”

The next day, the lost horse returned bringing seven wild horses with it and in the evening everybody came back and said, “Oh, isn’t that lucky. What a great turn of events. You now have eight horses!” The farmer again said, “Maybe. Could be good, could be bad, who’s to say?”

The following day, his son tried to break one of the horses, and while riding it, he was thrown and broke his leg. The neighbors then said, “Oh dear, that’s too bad,” and Sāi Wēng simply said, “Maybe. Could be good, could be bad, who’s to say?”

Shortly thereafter, the Emperor’s army arrived at the village to recruit all able-bodied men to fight in the war. Because of his injury, Sāi Wēng’s son could not go off to war and was spared from near-certain death. Again all the neighbors came around and said, “Isn’t that great!” Again, he said, “Maybe. Could be good, could be bad, who’s to say?”

Could be good, could be bad, who’s to say?

Wishing you someone to ask you that when you need to hear it,

Keely