Today’s Excerpt:

What is your favorite story?

For a Zen wisdom story, listen to “Alan Watts: The Story of the Chinese Farmer” (2-min video) to hear to an ancient Chinese story about a farmer who lost his horse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWd6fNVZ20o&t=4s

If you want to read it at your own pace, here’s another interpretation of the story:

“At the edge of town lived an old farmer. One day his best stallion ran away, and later that night his neighbor came around to express his regrets. The old farmer just said, “Who knows what is good and what is bad?”

The next day the stallion returned, bringing with him wild mares. The neighbor rushed back to celebrate with the farmer, but the old farmer simply said, “Who knows what is good and what is bad?”

The following day, the farmer’s son fell from one of the wild mares while trying to break her in and broke his arm and injured his leg. The neighbor came by to check on the son and give his condolences, but the old farmer just said, “Who knows what is good and what is bad?”

The next day the army came to the farm to conscript the farmer’s son for the war, but found him invalid and left him with his father. The neighbor thought to himself, “Who knows what is good and what is bad?”

Reflect:

• Can you find any wisdom in this story?