Paradoxical Perspectives

There is an old Chinese parable about a farmer who lost his horse that dates back to 2nd century B.C..¹ I came across this story a few years ago and have been moved by it ever since. Below is my own retelling of this ancient story.

“Once the other day, there was a farmer who had a brilliant horse. His son had gone to check in on the steed and accidentally forgot to latch the gate; so the horse consequently fled the farm.

Everyone in the town told the farmer how terrible it was he lost his horse-

to which he responded, “We’ll see”.

The next day the horse returned, followed by another beautiful wild horse.

Everyone in the town told the farmer how wonderful it was that his horse returned with another.

To which he responded, “We’ll see”.

That afternoon his son, attempting to break the wild horse, was thrown off and broke his leg.

Everyone in the town cried how terrible it was that his son’s leg was broken-

Yet the farmer only responded, “We’ll see”.

The next morning officers from the army came to collect the farmer’s son, as he was to be drafted.

However, he was excused due to his broken leg.

Everyone exclaimed how wonderful it was that his son did not have to go off to the army,

To which his father replied,

“We’ll see...”

Waiting to See...

There are different variations of this story- yet the moral remains the same.

There truly is no such thing as “good” or “bad”.

There is only our perspective and the connotations that we place upon a thing or idea. Something the wise farmer understood by simply waiting to see. Things simply are, until we place our perceptions onto them. This colors our view and therefore our experience of life. The truth is, the world spins via a force that we need not control. We may rest, find comfort in our sleep, and still the sun will rise to wake us when dawn comes.

Life and its movements will continue to happen- our perspectives then shifting and altering in the newly provided context, as seen in the story. This movement provides one with the space and ability to wait and see what goodness may happen from a seemingly negative experience. Still, this requires a certain openness to the world of divine possibilities. If the farmer had listened to the shouts of the town people, he would have suffered the loss of his horse and his son’s able leg before recognizing the gifts they truly were.

There are always a myriad of perspectives that exist within a collective, yet not all are going to serve our best interest or help us move forward in life. To be able to feel the ups and downs of life is a beautiful thing. It is a gift to be able to live a deep and full emotional life. However, it is a different thing when our ego attaches meaning to an experience before one can wait to discover its true meaning. The farmer can feel a deep love and care for his son and tend to his broken leg. He can also then rejoice in the injury ultimately protecting his son from further potential harm. There are many layers to this life we’re all living, creating a most beautiful and complex thing. There is always more than meets the eye- so we must learn to trust our senses that detect that something more- that waits and sees.

While trusting too, trusting that by some divine order, all work out just fine.

Just you wait and see...

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References

¹Tim Kinnard, The Parable of the Chinese Farmer, December 13, 2022, https://www.thekinnardhomestead.com/the-parable-of-the-chinese-farmer/.