Loss or Luck?

Long ago, in the land of Silbaripuram, there lived a man named Purushothaman. Once, when people saw him carrying heavy loads to the market by himself, they said, "So sad! Look at his misery."

Later, he bought a donkey to carry the loads. Seeing the donkey carrying the bags, the people said, "How lucky! He is finally relieved."

However, after a few days, another donkey started following his donkey. When the villagers learned that Purushothaman had got another donkey for free, they said again, "What great luck he has!"

But the new donkey was completely wild and untamed. When it kicked Purushothaman's son, the boy’s leg was broken.

Hearing this, the neighbors said, "What a pity! That donkey brought nothing but bad luck into this house."

Around that time, the royal drums sounded, announcing the recruitment of guards for the palace. Because of his broken leg, the son could not go. The moment the villagers heard this, they said, "Purushu's son is going through a bad time. He missed out on a good government job."

However, a few days later, news spread like wildfire: "The enemies have killed all the newly recruited palace guards."

Immediately, the villagers rushed to Purushothaman’s house and said, "Hey Purushu! Your son is saved! The guards were all slaughtered. It was actually a blessing that the donkey came to your house!"

At this, Purushothaman lost his temper and said, "Don't you dare come here anymore talking about 'misery,' 'loss,' or 'luck.' Every single time, you people just flip your words to suit the situation!"

Moral: People’s opinions have no stability; they change based on the person, the timing, and the situation. Such talk can either build you up or break your spirit—so do not take it to heart.