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Lucky New Year
January 6, 2014
"There was once an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day, his horse ran away...."
The Farmer's Luck
Are you familiar with a story from the Taoist and Zen traditions called The Farmer’s Luck? (Keep reading).
"Upon hearing the news about the old farmer's horse running away, his neighbors came to visit.
'Such bad luck,' they said sympathetically. 'Maybe,' the farmer replied. The next day, the horse returned, bringing with it two other wild horses. 'Such good luck!' the neighbors exclaimed. 'Maybe,' replied the farmer. The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown off, and broke his leg. Again the neighbors came to offer sympathy on his misfortune. 'Such bad luck,' they said. 'Maybe,' answered the farmer. The day after that, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army to fight in a war. Seeing that the son’s leg was broken, they passed him by. 'Such good luck!' cried the neighbors. The farmer merely replied, 'Maybe.' "
- It’s been years since I have felt more like the farmer’s neighbors than the farmer in this tale. Until recently, when I succumbed. Life got to me.
- Since then I have felt a bit like a pinball, ricocheting from “good luck” day to “back luck” day and back again, out of control and overwhelmed by events. I have had to remind myself more than once that the days are – and the luck is – neither good nor bad. They are simply days – and luck.
- (By the way, that’s exactly how I have been describing my experiences; in fact, just this morning, I texted a friend on his way to a job interview, “Good luck today!” And what I want to say right now is, "What good luck for me that writing this newsletter was on my agenda for the day!")
Seemingly chance happening of events
Luck is defined as "the seemingly chance happening of events which affect one." Hmmm. Seemingly chance…happening of events…which affect one. Well, events are seemingly chance, they happen, and they certainly affect me.
Events happen all the time: this event, that event, multiple events occurring simultaneously, chain reactions of simultaneous events occurring one after another. That’s the problem: I feel out of control and overwhelmed by the seemingly chance happening of events.
And yet, I have absolute control over how those events affect me. How they affect me is completely within my control and totally my business. It is I who decides whether to label my luck as “good” or “bad” or even “maybe.” Just as it is I who decides whether to label an event as “chance” or “syhchronistic.”
Significantly related patterns of chance
Synchronicity is a term coined by Carl Jung to describe "a meaningful coincidence, or significantly related patterns of chance." And it has been my experience that the more I pay attention in my life, the more those patterns of chance appear to be significantly related.
Even seemingly chance events tend to fall into patterns when I am paying attention. Through those patterns I often find meaning, and what a blessing that is!
“This came to bless me” is a saying I first heard during Seminary that has become a motto for my life. It’s my version of the farmer’s “maybe.” Sometimes I shout it out loud with obvious enthusiasm, “This came to bless me!” And sometimes I say it with more of a questioning tone, “This came to bless me?” And sometimes, when I am paying attention (as I am right now), I simply and quietly say it with a wisdom that is greater than myself, “This came to bless me.”
And I will say it again: what good luck for me that writing this newsletter was on my agenda for the day! This newsletter came to bless me. And, a sincere thanks to you, my reader, for it was you who helped me get out of the limited mind-set in which I was dwelling as recently as this morning. Thank you!