The Farmer and the Horse

If you have seen the movie "Charlie Wilson's War" you may recollect the fable Philip Seymour Hoffman tells at the end of the movie about an old man and a horse.

It goes:

One day a poor farmer came upon a wild horse. With a bit of effort, the farmer was able to capture and train the horse to help him plow his fields. When the other villagers learned that the farmer now had a horse to help him plow his fields they were struck by his good fortune.

A few weeks past and the farmer's son was on his way home from the market when a loud noise spooked the horse throwing the boy and causing him to break his leg. When the other villagers heard about the boy's broken leg, they were struck by the farmer's bad fortune.

A short time later the country went to war. All of the young men from the village were rounded up to serve in the army. The war was brief but brutal and most of the young men of the village did not return. The farmer's son, however, could not fight because of his broken leg and was spared.

This ancient Asian fable teaches a lesson in perspective and reminds us that good can come from an apparently bad situation and bad from good. With these tough economic times hitting many families hard, it is important to keep an open mind to the lessons we learn through struggle and the possibilities difficult times may bring.