An ancient Chinese story tells of a farmer in a poor country village. He was considered well-to-do because he owned a horse that he used for plowing and transportation. One day his horse ran away. All his neighbors exclaimed how terrible this was, but the farmer simply replied, “Maybe.”
A few days later the horse returned and brought two wild horses with it. The neighbors rejoiced at his good fortune, but the farmer simply replied, “Maybe.”
The next day the farmer’s son tried to ride one of the wild horses, but the horse threw him and broke the son’s leg. The neighbors all offered sympathy at the farmer’s misfortune, but the farmer simply replied, “Maybe.”
The next week, the conscription officers came to the village to take young men for the army. They rejected the farmer’s son because of his broken leg. When the neighbors told him how lucky he was, the farmer replied, “Maybe.”
Hat tip Strong Memes