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Adopting a "We'll See" Perspective in the Midst of Disappointment

I can’t tell if I am having a bad day or not. Things keep going wrong, and it reminds me of the Chinese proverb about the farmer who had a son and a horse.

The Farmer and His Son

One day, the farmer’s horse ran away, leaving him without a way to work his farm. His neighbor said, “Your horse ran away. What terrible luck!” The farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not. We’ll see.”

A few days later, the horse came home, leading a few wild mares back to the farm. The neighbor saw this and shouted, “Your horse has returned and brought more horses with him. What great luck!” The farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not. We’ll see.”

Then the farmer’s son tried breaking a mare and broke his leg in the process. The neighbor heard about this and consoled his friend. “This is terrible news.” The farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not. We’ll see.”

A few weeks later, soldiers marched through town, recruiting all the able-bodied boys for the army. They did not take the farmer’s son because he was still recovering from his injury. The neighbor again took notice and said, “Your boy is spared. What tremendous luck!” To which the farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not. We’ll see.”

I feel like that farmer today.

Don't Cry Over Spilled Coffee

I went to the coffee shop close to my house, and not only was the parking lot packed, but the street leading up to the cafe was also full of cars. Even if I had gotten into the coffee shop, I wouldn’t have got a seat. What terrible luck! If the farmer were there with me, he would have replied, “Maybe so, maybe not. We’ll see.”

This leads me to a busy Starbucks nearby. I got a notice that some of my rewards were about to expire. So I mentioned to the barista that I would like to use them. She says, “Great timing because the cost to use the rewards doubles tomorrow.” I think to myself, “What good luck!” As we know, the farmer would have replied, “Maybe so, maybe not. We’ll see.”

So I cashed in and ordered more than I had planned. Then I turned around and noticed someone had placed their things on the last available table before they got in line. This is horrible! What am I going to do with all the items I just ordered? At this point, I realize that this is not the Chinese Proverb. It’s just a bad day.

Then, as I stood there boiling with frustration, the guy who put his stuff down on the table came out of the restroom and said I could have the seat. He was just putting his stuff down to use the bathroom. He saved the seat for me while I ordered without either of us realizing it.

Navigating the Ups and Downs

Life is full of ups and downs. I used to constantly wonder if I had upset God or if God was mad at me when things didn’t go my way. “Things would be better if I had prayed more and been more holy,” I would think. Maybe you have also wondered, “Why do things work out for everyone except me?”

Of course, the real issue was not the problems I was facing but the perspective I was bringing to my circumstances. As John Lennon once sang, “Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.” Life will pass us by if we keep waiting for our circumstances to be perfect before we choose to be happy.

Shortly after I sat down to write this, I adjusted the table to bring it closer. When I did, my coffee tipped over and spilled all over my table, book, and computer. You may say that it just goes to show that this was meant to be a bad day all along, but I agree with the farmer's wisdom, though, “Maybe so, maybe not. We’ll see.”

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