Not sure how many of you remember this day. Anyways, I used this phrase a few times since. Here is the story behind the Chinese proverb I was referring to. Just came across a good English translation today.
It has helped me greatly in my journeys so far. 1/n
It has helped me greatly in my journeys so far. 1/n
https://twitter.com/cz_binance/status/977003379435085825
I posted the link earlier today, but that broke the site. It seem to be hosted on a small server. So, pasting the content here directly. Link at the very end.
CHINESE FOLK TALES: THE LOST HORSE (A BLESSING IN DISGUISE) – 塞翁失马
In ancient China, near the edge of the Great Wall, there was an old man named Sai Weng. Two of the things closest to him in his life were collecting rare breeds of horses and his beloved son.
In ancient China, near the edge of the Great Wall, there was an old man named Sai Weng. Two of the things closest to him in his life were collecting rare breeds of horses and his beloved son.
One day, his good horse had suddenly disappeared after a servant left a stable door open. All of his neighbors, relatives, and friends, came up to him and consoled him for his loss. However, the gentle old man was not upset.
He explained to his neighbors that losing the horse wasn’t necessarily bad luck. There was no way to predict that the horse would escape, it just happened, and now there was nothing that could be done about it. “There is no reason to be upset,” said the old man.
The neighbors soon realized that there was nothing they could do to help get the horse back, and that they shouldn’t feel sad for the old man’s misfortune. He was not anxious, and smiled and said: “If the horse is lost, how can we tell if this is not a good thing?”
A few months have passed. One day, the old man’s lost horse actually returned and even brought back a good horse: a rare and valuable mare. This incident blew the whole village and people congratulated the old man.
But the old man, Sai Weng, was not happy. He said to everyone: “What can be congratulated, who can expect this is not a disaster!”
A few days later, the only child of the old man was riding on the good horse. The horse, unfamiliar with its new owner, ran wildly, slammed the young man down and wrestled his leg. She landed on the son’s leg, and broke his leg, so that he would always walk with a limp.
People heard once again and came to comfort the elderly. But the old man was still not anxious. He even said that this might be a good thing! At that point, many of his neighbors and close friends thought that he was crazy and decided to leave him alone.
Soon after, a war broke out on the border near the residence of Sai Weng. A draft was sending young people into the front fighting line of the army. There was a ninety-nine percent casualty rate.
Nonetheless, the young man’s son was allowed to stay at home because he was physically disabled. The moral of his story is that when a bad event happens, that does not necessarily mean that the long-term results are disastrous.
Also, in the same way, a stereotypically good event can bring about bad fortunes. So, the next time you think that something unlucky or lucky happens, do not be too depressed or overjoyed. Go with the flow and take life one step at a time.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
