Good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?

"If I had to choose the one form of prayer that has made the presence of Christ most
real in my life and given me the deepest sense of being supported and surrounded by
the loving providence of God, I would unhesitantly choose this, the last form of prayer
I propose in this book, the Prayer of Praise." I would also choose it for the great peace
and joy it has so often brought me in times of distress.

The prayer consists, quite simply, of praising and thanking God for everything. It is based
on the belief that nothing happens in our lives that is not foreseen and planned by God—
just nothing, not even our sins."

Then after giving the biblical and liturgical support for this De Mello concludes with this story:

"There is a Chinese story of an old farmer who had an old horse for tilling his fields."
One day the horse escaped into the hills and when all the neighbors 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 wild horses from the hills and this
time the neighbors 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 very
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 the broken leg they let
him off. Now was that good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?"

Sadhana, A Way to God, by Anthony DeMello