Is that so?
We never really know where we're going do we? We can plan and scheme all we like but we can't control everything else that has been set in motion and will eventually collide with us. This can be fortunate or disastrous. Tonight I was invited out to see some live music in downtown Houston and even though it was getting late I decided I'd go check it out. I'm driving down the freeway in the dark at about 60 mph and suddenly out of the darkness I see a very large object in the road covering almost my entire lane. I almost panicked and swerved but instead I let off the gas and rolled over the front fender of a sedan at about 55 mph. I didn't have a serious accident and the damage is minimal. I decided I should not be going out tonight and returned home to enjoy a peaceful and relatively safe evening with WA. I'm not saying I'm fortunate or unfortunate, but I'm much more comfortable sitting at my desk than I am on the side of the freeway with ambulances and police. This whole incident reminds me of a story I was once told that stuck with me like glue. It has helped me through the hard times and has helped me better appreciate the easy times. A farmer was looking after his horses one day and they all managed to escape the corral. His neighbor commented, "How unfortunate you are!" The farmer simply replied, "Is that so?" Later on a group of wild horses appeared in his corral and he captured them. His neighbor commented, "How fortunate you are!" The farmer simply replied, "Is that so?" The farmer's son got into the corral and was bucked off of one of the wild stallions and broke his leg. The neighbor appeared to say, "How unfortunate!" and again the farmer simply replied, "Is that so?"
The next day military officials came by with orders that they were conscripting men for their war. The farmer's son was useless to them with his broken leg so they quickly left. The neighbor again said, "How fortunate!" and the farmer gave his usual, "Is that so?" Sometimes things happen without any human reason. We may try to find a reason but unless we take something valuable from it why bother? Let's move on and take something, even the smallest thing from it.