Page 21 - Seeing Good in All

19
How The Ignorant Perceive Things That Happen

may lose all his wealth instantly.
People's reactions to such a roller-coaster of experiences
can vary greatly. Their reactions are good as long as events
turn out favourably. Yet, when faced with the unexpected,

they tend to feel disappointed, and even angry. Depending
on the importance they attach to these events, and their
ultimate outcomes, their anger may become quite severe.
This tendency is common to societies mired in ignorance.
There are also those among them who, when something
disappoints them, nevertheless say, "There must be a
goodness in this." However, these are words which they
mouth without understanding their true meaning, merely
following societal conventions.
There is still another group of people, who are willing to
consider what divine purpose there may be in trivial
occurrences. But, when faced with more significant
happenings, which may prove detrimental to them, all of a
sudden, they forget any such intention. For instance, a person
may not be distressed at the failure of his car engine on his
way to work, and be willing to consider the possible good in

it. Yet, if his being late for work infuriates his boss, or turns
out to be a reason for his losing his job, then he finds reason
to complain. He might behave the same way if it had been an
item of jewellery instead of an inexpensive watch he had lost.
As these examples indicate, there are certain minor events for
which people may react reasonably, or in which they are
willing to consider its good; but other more extraordinary
instances can lead them to justify insolence and irascibility.
Some, on the other hand, merely seek to console with this
notion, without actually having a grasp of the true