There’s a story I keep returning to. Not because it’s dramatic or emotional… but because it’s simple and deeply wise.
One day, a Chinese farmer’s horse ran away.
The neighbors rushed to his home:
“Oh no, that’s terrible!”
The farmer replied, “Maybe.”
The next day, the horse returned — and brought seven wild horses with it.
The neighbors shouted:
“Wow, what incredible luck!”
The farmer said, “Maybe.”
On day three, the farmer’s son tried to tame one of the wild horses.
He was thrown off and broke his leg.
“How unfortunate!” the neighbors cried.
The farmer simply replied, “Maybe.”
On day four, the army arrived, drafting every young man for war.
They skipped the farmer’s son because of his injury.
“What a blessing!” the neighbors said.
And again, the farmer responded, “Maybe.”
The lesson is beautifully clear:
Things are rarely good or bad.
They are becoming something.
Life changes shape. Luck switches sides. Doors close so new ones can open.
Yet most of us get stuck in the moment.
We panic in the pain.
We celebrate too early in the wins.
We attach meaning too quickly to what is still unfolding.
On the journey of becoming, the real skill isn’t predicting the future.
It’s holding space for it.
It’s staying grounded in uncertainty.
It’s trusting that your story is still being written.
It’s believing that what feels like a setback may actually be a setup.
Becoming is not a straight path.
It’s twists and turns you didn’t plan.
It’s lost jobs that lead to better callings.
It’s heartbreak that clears space for true love.
It’s failures that grow strength inside you that success never could.
The farmer reminds us:
You don’t need to label every experience.
You don’t need to rush to conclusions.
You don’t need to fear what you’re currently facing.
Your journey is working — even when you don’t understand how.
So next time something happens that shakes your comfort or challenges your confidence…
Pause. Breathe. Smile a little.
And instead of calling it disaster or destiny…
Just say: Maybe.
Because your becoming is still happening.
And the story isn’t over yet.
