Good Luck, Bad Luck…It’s All How You Look At It

Add comment January 9th, 2008

  Theresa A. Harezlak, CFP® 

After 20 years in the financial planning business, I’ve learned a lot from education opportunities, mentors, financial advice books, business and personal experiences, and from my customers.  

One of the most important is that no matter how we measure success, when life presents challenges, financial or otherwise, it’s truly how we approach those challenges that matters most. We may not have control over everything that happens to us, but we all certainly have control over how we will view our situations and how we will deal with them.   

The following is a story that has inspired me and my family. I hope you will find it inspiring as well.   

Good Luck and Bad Luck 

There was once a wise farmer who knew that life’s experiences are often not what they appear.  He owned a beautiful mare that was the finest in the entire village.  One day, someone left the corral gate open and the mare ran off.  The villagers said to the farmer, “What terrible luck.” The wise farmer replied, “Good luck, bad luck, who can tell.”    Several days later, the mare returned with a beautiful herd of wild stallions accompanying her.  The villagers marveled at what good luck the farmer had.  Again, the wise old man observed, “Good luck, bad luck, who can tell.” One day the farmer’s only son was out in the yard breaking in the wild stallions.  When he was thrown from his horse and broke his shoulder, the villagers remarked, “What terrible luck.”  Once again, the farmer said, “Good Luck, bad luck, who can tell.”   A week later the government declared war, calling into service all able-bodied men from the village.  All went to war with the exception of the farmer’s son, who was still healing from his injury.  When all the young soldiers from the village were caught in an ambush and killed, the villagers again remarked to the farmer, ”What good luck that your son broke his shoulder and was spared.” And on goes the story.   

 ~An old Chinese story, Author unknown 

May 2008 bring you and your families much joy, happiness, and good luck.