The Girl, The Good, The Bad.

Life never seems to stay the same for too long. Especially as an adult, time seems to move faster, and the frustrations you face this month feel entirely different from the month previous.

This can be overwhelming and take away from your quality of life, so…How can you navigate everything?

Each of us has our own unique challenges and tribulations. So I offer this story with ancient roots, to hopefully provide peace in letting go and accepting things as they are, and how they turn out.

Start by reflecting on this short story, and then ask yourself the questions below.

Good or Bad, Who knows?

Good or Bad, Who Knows

There is a Farmer and his horse.

This horse is the source of all the wealth he owns. One morning, the Farmer wakes up to find that his horse has broken out of the stable and run away. His neighbor wanders over to offer his condolences, “Your horse ran away, what a terrible thing to have happened!”

The farmer responds calmly,

“Good or bad, Who Knows?”

The neighbor leaves, thinking the farmer is delusional because losing his horse was clearly a “bad thing” to have happened.

The next morning, the farmer awakes to see his horse in the yard, and with him, 12 feral horses.

Once again, the neighbor appears before the farmer to celebrate the good fortune. “What great luck! Your wealth has increased 12-fold!”

The farmer, once again, responds calmly, “Good or Bad, Who Knows?”

The next day, the farmer’s son was working with one of the wild horses, and the horse stepped on the son, breaking the young man’s leg.

Without missing a beat, The neighbor comes to the farmer to inject his perception, “What poor luck! Your boy has a broken leg. How will he ever get married now?”

Sure enough, the farmer responds calmly, “Good or Bad, Who Knows?”

The next day the army comes by their land, looking for all able-bodied young men to go fight in the war. Because the son’s leg is broken, he was spared.

Ask Yourself:

• What are the things you have categorized in your life as “good” or “bad?”

  • We cannot truly label something as good or bad, simply because we do not know. Proceed with the belief that “All Things Work Together For Good,” and they surely will, regardless of whether you can see it at the time.

• How can you release control and be like the peaceful farmer?

  • There are so many things that change and fluctuate within our lives, developing the gift to accept and appreciate things the way they are, and are becoming, is a gift.

• What is in your control?

  • If you can control it, ensure it serves you.

• What is out of your control?

  • If you can not control it, release the need to control, and create boundaries to protect yourself. "

• Good or Bad, Who knows?

  • What will be, will be. Control what you can control, let go of those things you cannot control, and find peace in knowing that all things work together for good.

I hope this story provided peace or a sense of knowing for you and what you might be facing. Life is not meant to be easy, then it would not be such a gift. We can only truly control ourselves and how we respond to life’s changing tides.

Hang in there, take a deep breath, and

just BE.