The Farmer Story
I say this for when you’re ready to hear it, with empathy, not to be a jerk – what if that thing you’re going through turns out to be a good thing for you? What if everything, right now, was actually working for your favor behind the scenes?
I know this type of questioning can trigger us…but I think it’s doing a disservice not to ask.
Yes, feel every deep, dark, intense emotion as needed, rest, and when you’re ready for different feelings, remember there are many available perspectives to get you there.
Think of the Taoist farmer story, which essentially goes like this:
A farmer’s horse ran away.
The neighbors: What bad luck!
The farmer: Maybe.
The farmer’s horse came back with six other wild horses.
The neighbors: What good luck!
The farmer: Maybe.
The farmer’s son tried to ride a wild horse, got thrown off, and broke his leg.
The neighbors: What misfortune!
The farmer: Maybe.
Officers came to the village to recruit young men for the army, but the farmer’s son was rejected due to his broken leg.
The neighbors: What great fortune!
The farmer: Maybe.
And so it could continue…
Although the neutrality of the farmer is the main feature, I like to use this story to shift to an encouraging space (when I’m ready to listen to it).
“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.”
So, if you want to break up any unhelpful thought spirals you may be experiencing and bring a little light in…whatever is going on, are you 100% sure it couldn’t be a good thing?