Good Luck, Bad Luck, Who Knows?

Dear Friends,

Today is a public holiday in Malaysia. The weather has been gloomy since the morning and I am finding it hard to progress today. I am seated on my reading chair with both my feet sunk in my newly purchased, 'U Squeeze Pro' by Osim. I have just drifted into a musing moment of reflection - a 'Depressed Mood' for no alarming reason. As I read the Star newspaper this morning, news published are just getting more atrocious these days. Was there ever a time when we came across upright news in the newspapers?

As I was reading, I stumbled upon a story of how a blind man walked tall and completed a charity walk to raise health awareness. He is an automotive engineer and is currently unemployed. I reflected at how blessed I am with my eyesight and my career.

I continued reading. I was astounded at how they are still demonstrating against the controversial policy of teaching Mathematics and Science in the English language. English has an economic value and anyone who hopes to do well has to have some proficiency in it. I reflected at how I was exposed to speaking the language at home during my growing up years. I appreciated my mothers' far sightedness.

I proceeded further. I emphatised with the family members of the clerk who died in a hotel fire. It was the clerk's first overseas trip. She died with two other Malaysian women at the White Snow Hotel, Taipei. I reflected at how difficult it was to lose a loved one especially my father at an untested age.

I went along flipping the pages. I was stirred reading at how the residents of Kuchai Brem Park Condominium demonstrated the spirit of 'Muhibbah'. The Chinese residents donated generously to a Malay couple whose son drowned at the condominium swimming pool last month. I reflected on how peaceful it was, to have all different races living in unity, unlike all the squabbling amongst the different races these days.

A letter to the editor wrote; quote, "There are people out there who lost their jobs or are taking pay cuts, who are unable to sleep at nights, thinking of how to settle their bills and support their families. These are the ordinary Malaysians who stand by this country even when she is at her lowest. But, we ask for unity; not for political reasons but for our sake, and the sake of the next generation. We need to wake up and remember who we were once upon a time.", unquote.

I then reiterated to myself that life couldn't be so bad. I remember a passage in the Bible (Matthew 6:34). This is a great story to remember when we are projecting way past the present moment. When we are worrying about what will happen tomorrow? It teaches us to be anxious about today and allow tomorrow to take care of itself.

The things we think are good fortune can often also have bad endings; and vice-versa. How many times have we looked back on what seemed like bad fortune and said, "Aren't we glad that happened, because it led us to where we are now." Losing our job might have sent us to school, or maybe to an even better job. Losing our relationship allowed us the freedom to find another, maybe even more satisfying.

I once came across this ancient Chinese fable.

There is an ancient Chinese story of a farmer who owned an old horse that till his fields. One day, the horse escaped into the hills and when the farmer's neighbours 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 horses from the hills and this time the neighbours 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 was 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. Once again, the farmer's only reaction was, “Good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?

Friends, every single thing in this world is neutral unless we put a value to it. We can choose to make things better or make them worse. Wake up and remember who we were once upon a time.

So, Good luck, Bad Luck? It is entirely up to you.