“Nothing is all good or all bad,” she says. “Life is so much messier than that.”

― V.E. Schwab, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

This quote brought to mind a Chinese proverb that I’ve heard from several different sources. It’s stuck with me, so I thought I’d share it with all of you this week. I’ve shortened it a bit, but essentially is goes like this:

A farmer had a prized stallion and one day it ran away. “Oh, how terrible!” the townspeople told him. “Maybe,” the farmer replied.

The next day, the stallion wandered back to the farm. “How fortunate you are!” the townspeople cried. “Maybe,” the farmer replied.

A few days later, the farmer’s son was riding the stallion when he fell off it and broke his leg. “What bad luck!” the townspeople lamented. “Maybe,” the farmer replied.

Two weeks later, the emperor’s army passed through the town, drafting young men to be soldiers. They left the farmer’s son behind because his leg hadn’t healed yet.

We can never foresee all the consequences of a single event, so it’s best to take everything–both the good and the bad–in stride. Avoid the extremes–nothing is ever the most terrible or greatest thing that could have happened. Keep your perspective, look for the good in everything, but don’t permit windfalls to blind you to reality.

Will this be the best advice to read today? Maybe.

Note to readers: Each week, I share a fantasy quote and indulge my inner philosopher with a brief essay based on said quote. Share your favorite quote with me and I might feature it in a future newsletter! Email: dtkane@dtkane.com.