 That’s what I want in my life at all times. Regardless of what’s going on around me, I choose to be relaxed and present. Lately, that’s been increasingly challenging for many reasons. With the swirl of current events, many people around me have commented, “How do you stay Upside?” even in the face of doom and gloom. “How have you kept yourself from coming undone or being thrown off balance?” There’s a story I heard about 10 years ago that I love to presence this. Back in the late 1800s, there was a farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day, his son left a gate open and his 3 horses ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. “Such bad luck,” they said sympathetically. “Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t,” the farmer replied. The next morning the horses returned, bringing with them 40 other wild horses. “How wonderful!” the neighbors coming to see exclaimed. “Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t,” said the farmer. The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses and was thrown off — and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune. “This is terrible news,” they said. “Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t,” answered the farmer. The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the farmer’s son’s leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated for his good luck. “Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t,” said the farmer. The moral of the story is that no event by itself can be judged as bad or good. Time is like a tapestry and each moment is but a single thread and stitch. Ultimately, the picture will be revealed as will what ultimately happens. It is a waste of time to cast judgment on a situation. I prefer to live into the quote from The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, “Everything will be all right in the end so if it is not alright it is not the end.” So, stay calm and carry on. Lisa Marie Platske President/CEO Upside Thinking, Inc. |
Positive and Entertaining
