As we move through life, the force of fate creates events that we only appreciate when we reflect on our existence.   Ronald Harmon

Daylight was turning into dusk and the boy had to get back home to the village before dark.  He hurried through the woods and thickets making a trail when he couldn’t find one.  He had been in these woods many time playing by the stream, watching the animals scurry and feed.  As he walked down the trail he’d found in the direction of home, he heard a snorting from a grassy patch to his left.

There in the small clearing was a beautiful horse, chestnut brown, sleek and calmly eating the grass.  The boy stopped and stood very still.  The horse knew he was there but paid him no attention and continued to eat.  One step and then another moved the boy into the clearing and yet the horse stayed.  Slowly he turned his head and nodded.

The boy moved closer until he could touch the horse’s powerful neck and still the horse didn’t move, he was not afraid of the boy and he seemed to welcome the company.  What to do, the boy thought?  There is no bridle, no rope or any sign that the horse was escaped from its owner.  After a few minutes, the boy decided to try to mount the magnificent animal and the horse allowed it.

Using only his knees and the mane, he guided the horse back to the trail until they reached the village.  As he rode in triumphant, the villagers were in awe!  Where did the boy they all knew get such a fine animal?

When he arrived home his kindly parents were thrilled to see their son with the horse.  It was a thing of great value to the family if they could keep him.  The horse didn’t resist when the father guided him to the barn and let the horse drink from the trough and fed him some fresh hay.  With the horse secured for the night, they all went to bed happy.

Next day the boy awoke eager to see his new friend.  He rushed to the barn and there was the horse, waiting for the boy.  The boy put a bridle on the horse and again, without resistance.  He hopped on his back to take a ride before he had to start his chores.  But, within minutes of leaving the barn the horse jumped a small stream and boy fell to the ground with a sickening, splintering sound, knowing he’d broken his leg.

His scream of pain and call for help made his father come running.  Others came too and with help the boy was carried back to the house.  The joy of the new horse quickly turned to sadness and concern for the boy and his badly broken leg.  The leg was set and some natural remedies helped ease the pain and put the young man to sleep.

In the surrounding countryside there had been stories of soldiers and fighting and the villagers were scared.  The next day as the boy rested and fought the pain, soldiers rode into his village.  The soldiers announced that all men of a certain age were to be taken from the village and made to fight on their side.  They went into the boy’s house and saw his broken leg and let him alone.  They quickly rode off with 3 of his neighbors’ boys.

The boy’s family was amazed.  The joy of just a few hours before had turned to sadness in an instant and then that sadness turned again to joy since their injured son was left alone by the army.  We never know what life events will bring.  What we think is the worst is often the best and perfect thing for us to experience.