“There once was a simple farmer who lived and
struggled alongside his neighbors and friends, trying to exist and fulfill a
peaceful life. One-day news arrived from far away, that his old loving father
had died. His neighbors gathered to grieve, but the farmer simply said, “Bad
luck? Good luck? Who knows?"
In time relatives brought a very fine horse of
great cost and fine breeding, left to the farmer by his father. All the
villagers and neighbors gathered in delight with him to celebrate his good
fortune, but he just said, "Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?”
One day the horse escaped into the hills and when
all the farmer’s neighbors sympathized with the old man over his bad luck, the
farmer replied, “Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?”
A week later the horse returned with a herd of wild
horses from the hills and this time the neighbors congratulated the farmer on
his good luck. His reply was, “Good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?”
Then, when the farmer’s son was attempting to tame
one of the wild horses, he fell off its back and broke his leg. Everyone
thought this very bad luck. Not the farmer, whose only reaction was, “Bad luck?
Good luck? Who knows?”
Some weeks later the army marched into the village
and conscripted every able-bodied youth they found there. When they saw the
farmer’s son with his broken leg they let him off. Now was that good luck? Bad
luck? Who knows?”
- Anthony De Mello SJ, Song of The
Bird
“If you
want to make God laugh, tell God your plans.”
“Nature
does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”
- Lao Tzu
It seems like yesterday that the pilgrim, who had grown
tired of what was considered an extended and unwanted winter, was dreaming
optimistically about a mystical filled summer season. On the eve of the season and the great sacramental
celebration for his second everything that was dreamed about would change in
the flip of switch. Homebound for weeks great anticipations were altered. It
wasn’t until this season was to make her final bow when the predicted second
great hurricane of the century became a great false alarm the illumination
occurred.
“So is this it? Is
this what it is all about? Is your great plan just one big roll of the dice for
us and then you wait and see how we deal with the outcome? Are you trying to
teach us that our pilgrim egocentric plans are really of no significance in the
long run? Why is it that it takes some of us so long to learn that it is how we
respond to situations and people and how we treat others that matter? How is it
that with all my imperfections that I am permitted to wake to another glorious
new day? Why is it that my heart is not filled with one perpetual feeling of
gratitude for all the tender mercies? How often do I have to be thrown off my
Pauline horse before I hear your voice and trust in just being mindful and
compassionate? Forgive me for not being more cognizant and appreciative of all
those sacred pilgrims you have placed in my path to help me along on this
passage. Though people come and go and things change I hope I remember the holy
presence and that this life is a sacrament no matter where and how I am and
there will be days like this. ”
(He remembered that when feeling blue and in doubt – PLAY Van Morrison!
- Besides he
had been accused of being on the Harrison payroll and a Jersey Boy disciple.)
Days Like This – Van Morrison
That’s Entrainment – Van Morrison
These are The Days – Van Morrison
https://youtu.be/_lyve_egY8o
*Labor Day 2016
For all who work, have worked, can’t work and want to work ... and of course my father..
Factory - B. Springsteen
