Griswold Law Firm

Importance of Knowing Subject Matter Well and Never Giving Up

 

There are a lot of lawyers out there from which to choose.  But, as in any profession, we are definitely not all the same.  When choosing a lawyer, it's important to find somebody who is honest, knows their given subject matters well or will put in time to get up to speed with less familiar areas without extra costs to clients, and who will earnestly and diligently strive to achieve the objectives of his or her clients. For fun, I've included a story I've always liked below about a famous man in ancient China who could wisely identify the strengths and weaknesses of horses, just like a good attorney can astutely identify the strengths and weaknesses of each case...

 

Fable of the Thousand Mile Horse

 

A man named Sun Yang lived during the Spring and Autumn Period of China between 770 and 476 BC.  Sun Yang was famous for his ability to recognize the strengths, weaknesses, and distinct characteristics of horses at a mere glance.   Because of this ability, he soon became known by the nickname "Bo Le."  Bo Le was a mythical deity in charge of heavenly steeds.

 

One day, the king of the state of Chu charged Sun Yang to find a horse for him that could run a 1000 miles a day, and could run as fast as the wind on the battlefield.  

 

Sun Yang promised the king that he would find him the best thousand-mile horse in the world, but cautioned that this task would take a lot of time and effort, as these types of horses were exceedingly rare.

 

Sun Yang traveled the length and breadth of China, but still could not find the right horse anywhere.  He endured a tremendous amount of suffering, yet continued to search for the right horse.  He strongly believed that a horse fitting the king's demands could be found if he only persisted long enough in his efforts.

 

One day, Sun Yang saw a horse struggling to pull a cart filled with salt up a hill. The horse was bony and breathed heavily with each slow step.  Sun Yang quickly made his way to the cart.  As he drew closer, he was overfilled with joy.  As he looked straight into the horse's eyes, he felt an instant connection with the horse.  He was able to sense the tremendous spirit and potential of this horse, despite the fact that it had obviously been malnourished and was in an emaciated state.   

 

After a short moment, the horse suddenly raised its head and neighed powerfully toward the sky, its sound echoing throughout the valley.  Sun Yang knew he had finally found the right horse.  He took out a heavy bag of gold and asked the driver to sell the horse to him. The driver, believing Sun Yang to be a great fool, happily sold the horse to Sun Yang.

 

When Sun Yang reached the palace with the horse, Sun Yang patted the horse’s neck, whispering: “I’ve found a master who will take good care of you, and let you reach your potential.”  As if understanding what Sun Yang had said, the horse craned its neck and let out a long, incredibly powerful and bright whinny that resonated throughout the palace. 

 

Upon hearing this grand sound, the king came out of his palace.

 

Sun Yang announced to the king: "My king, I have finally found the thousand-mile horse you sought."   When the king saw the horse, he believed Sun Yang was joking.  He stated: "This horse hardly looks like it can even walk, much less run 1000 miles a day."

 

But Sun Yang, full of confidence, assured the king: "If not for its former master feeding this horse improperly and using him like a mule to pull carts, he would not be in this state.  It will take only a half of a month of good care and proper feeding to restore this stallion to his full potential.  

 

The king, having deep suspicions about this claim, ordered his grooms to take great care of the horse and feed it well.  

 

Sure enough, within a half a month, the horse became healthy, powerful and beautiful, and quickly proved himself to be the most powerful horse on the battlefield, easily able to cover a thousand miles a day.

 

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Mr. Griswold is a civil litigation and family law lawyer in and around the Austin, Texas area, such as Bee Cave, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Plugerville, Cedar Park, etc., as well as the general areas of Travis County and Williamson County.