It Could Be Good. It Could Be Bad. Who Knows?

The book Never Play It Safe by Chase Jarvis introduced me to a Chinese parable this week, and it’s been on my mind ever since. It goes like this: A farmer loses his horse. His neighbors say how unfortunate it is, to which the farmer responds, “It could be good. It could be bad. Who knows?” The next day, the horse comes back, bringing seven wild horses with it. The neighbors tell the farmer how lucky he is, to which he responds, “It could be good. It could be bad. Who knows?” The farmer’s son breaks his leg while trying to tame one of the wild horses. The neighbors express how bad this turn of events is, to which the farmer responds, “It could be good. It could be bad. Who knows?” Soon after, a war breaks out, and the government drafts the young men in the village, but the farmer’s son is excluded because of his broken leg. The neighbors tell the farmer how lucky he is, and he once again replies, “It could be good. It could be bad. Who knows?” And on and on, the cycle continues.

This phrase “It could be good. It could be bad. Who knows?” has popped into my head many times this week because I see how absolutely true it is. I quickly label situations as “good” or “bad” in a knee-jerk way without knowing or considering the bigger picture. That’s arrogant. I simply cannot predict whether events that seem unfortunate might lead to opportunities or if blessings might turn into challenges.

It reminds me of those chilling stories where someone misses a flight by a couple of minutes, and then the plane crashes without them. Or the opposite: someone lands what seems like a life-changing promotion, but the stress and long hours destroy their health and marriage. There are always unpredictable ripple effects.

In my desire to live more mindfully, be emotionally grounded, and just be a better human, this parable has given me an important reminder: I cannot foresee the long-term effects of situations. Trying not to be so reactive to circumstances can only lead to more calmness and to being open to all of the opportunities and lessons in both good and bad situations.