An update on the family..
Sai Weng loses his horse. An old tale on the twists and turns of fortune
There is an old Chinese story called “Sai Weng loses his horse”. The story tells of a man named Sai Weng who made his living raising horses. One day one of his horses ran off.
The neighbour said to Sai Weng: “Oh that’s just bad luck!”
“Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t.” Sai Weng replied.
A few months later the horse came back and with it brought another wild horse who had followed it home.
“Wow!” exclaimed the neighbour. “Isn’t that a stroke of fortune now you have another horse to add to your herd!”
“Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t.” Sai Weng replied.
One day, while his son was trying to tame the horse, he fell off it, crippling his leg. The injury he sustained from that fall left him permanently unable to walk.
“Ahh that his terrible, that horse you brought back was horrible luck. You should have never added it to your herd. What a great misfortune.” Said the neighbour.
“Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t.” Sai Weng replied.
Another few months went by and the country was at war. All fit and young men who were able to fight were sent to battle. Many of them never returned. Sai Weng’s son, who was crippled, was exempt from being drafted and was able to avoid the war…
If you are familiar with the story of Elim Bao Bar you would know that our little shop began its journey in one of the worse situations that many of us have had to experience in our lifetimes. Though I won’t go through everything that has happened we have been through our fair share of ups and downs during this time and like Sai Weng and his horses, fortune’s wheel was (and still is) turning every step of the way.
Is it fortune or misfortune to have to spend all this time with your spouse? You will have to ask my parents …
However, we will be closed from Thursday 6th May and will not reopen until the week after on Monday 10th of May. The reason is because my parents are moving house! See COVID forced us to think outside of the square that we lived in. Dad couldn’t continue his usual job of teaching Taiji because he couldn’t travel overseas so we had to think about alternative options. Now we have found a house to live in that would mean my parents are mortgage free! Of course… as a family-owned business with no other people working this means that we have to close the shop while we sort out the move.
For most people, a mortgage or rent is one of the biggest expenses that they face and the final “hurdle” before they retire. I am glad that for them they have finally accomplished this and can enjoy their life a little bit more. Don’t you think that is a good thing?
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“Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t” our customers might say as they come to the store and find out we are closed… 😉
Many cultures talk about how everything link, both the good and the bad and they all say it in different ways. There is this story of the King who asked for a ring that told the truth all the time, and there is an author (one of my favorite) who talks about the connection of our joy and our sorrow. In fact if you want to look at it in a way your life, the way it is today is a summation of all the good and terrible things that have happened throughout history. All leading you to this moment.
In the end I would like to think that the old story of Sai Weng and his horse helps serve as a reminder for us to stay humble during our times of triumph and good fortune, and that even in our darkest hours there is still hope.
