We’ll see...

Joel Runyon, who operates a web site called IMPOSSIBLE has offered up a version of a very old Asian parable. I have included it below as an example of how to have some measure of peace with circumstances and the uncertainties of life.

“Once upon a time, there was an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years.

One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbours came to visit. “Such bad luck,” they said sympathetically, “you must be so sad.”

“We’ll see,” the farmer replied.

The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it two other wild horses.

“How wonderful,” the neighbours exclaimed!  “Not only did your horse return, but you received two more.  What great fortune you have!”

“We’ll see,” answered the farmer.

The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbours again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune.  “Now your son cannot help you with your farming,” they said.  “What terrible luck you have!”

“We’ll see,” replied the old farmer.

The following week, military officials came to the village to conscript young men into the army. Seeing that the son’s leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbours congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out. “Such great news. You must be so happy!”

The man smiled to himself and said once again.

“We’ll see,”

This story is often bantered back and forth between my son and I as it speaks to the need to avoid panicking when facing decisions both big and small. 

My father had a similar approach to life. He faced some hard times with bereavement and with what we would call poverty today. 

He would quote Wilkins Micawber, a fictional character and David Copperfield’s landlord in Charles Dickens’ 1850 novel David Copperfield. Micawber was known for his optimistic outlook and the phrase “something will turn up”.

By the time I came along in 1948, my Dad and Mum had gained a bit of financial security so I didn’t directly experience the depths of their hardships. Before I was born, my parents had each lost a sibling and both their parents, they had to give up their little “Dirty Thirties” farm, worked their way through World War II and then started farming all over again. Their lives had many “We’ll see” and “Something will turn up” moments.

Let’s just say that since my father’s birth in 1907 until this present day, our family has its share of problems, but we have never been overcome with long terms of despair. For sure, there have been tough times but pessimism and despair have been kept at a distance.

While Dad gets credit for bringing the Dickens quote into our family story, Mum gets credit for another quote she brought into the family story. “When the wolf comes to the door, love creeps out the window.” It’s a proverb from the 1500s. Both my parents, but especially my mother, worked hard to make sure that even when the wolf was walking up to our door, love was not allowed to escape out the window. Yes, there were tough times, but beating back the tough times and learning from them became a family trait. 

I have adopted a summation of those family traits and that is the Four Fs-Faith, Family, Friends and Finances and be sure to keep them in that order.

There’s terrible turmoil in our world today, at all levels, but follow the advice of the ages and always be ready to say, “We’ll see!”

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are the writer’s personal views and are not to be taken as being the view of the newspaper staff.