Detachment

This is a great story that teaches detachment.

There is a story of a farmer whose horse ran away. That evening the neighbors gathered to commiserate with him since this was such bad luck. He said, "May be."

The next day the horse returned, but brought with it six wild horses, and the neighbors came exclaiming at his good fortune. He said, "May be."

And then, the following day, his son tried to saddle and ride one of the wild horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. Again the neighbors came to offer their sympathy for the misfortune. He said, "May be."

The day after that, conscription officers came to the village to seize young men for the army, but because of the broken leg the farmer's son was rejected. When the neighbors came to say how fortunately everything had turned out, he said, "May be."

Like what Mitch says, such a simple story that is so attached can be so detached.
It teaches me to let go and not to attach to any physical things or emotions. For every gain, there will be some loss and for every loss, there will be some gain.

From the book 'Have a Little Faith' by Mitch Albom, a chapter talks about Adam who lived 930 years instead of a full 1000. The story claims that he agreed with His Creator to shorten his life in order to give life to another. This story was outlined by the rabbi to explain his acceptance to the death of his 4 year old born daughter. He ended saying that "Is it not better to have known my daughter for four years, than not to have known her at all?" In other words, for every loss, there will be some gain. My view is that his 4 year old has enriched his life in her 4 years and has now move on to enrich other lives.

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