Circumspecte

This piece is an excerpt from Paulo Coelho's "Stories for Parents, Children and Grandchildren" and it's definitely one of my favorites! Great comfort for when things don't go the way you might want them to, and also a good reminder about being thankful for whatever good comes your way without being too attached. Enjoy! --   A Traditional Sufi Story Many years ago, in a poor Chinese village, there lived a farmer and his son. His only material possession, apart from the land and a small hut, was a horse he had inherited from his father. One day, the horse ran away, leaving the man with no animal with which to work the land. His neighbours, who respected him for his honesty and diligence, went to his house to say how much they regretted his loss.  He thanked them for their visit, but asked: 'How do you know that what happened was a misfortune in my life?' Someone muttered to a friend: 'He obviously doesn't want to face facts, but let him think...