Left to themselves, things tend to go from bad to worse.

Listen closely, children, for I bring a truth that is as old as time itself—a truth about the nature of life, of chaos, and of the forces that shape our world. In the words of George Edward Woodberry, we hear the echo of the universe’s subtle, yet undeniable order: “Left to themselves, things tend to go from bad to worse. Murphy's First Corollary: If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire, the next morning you will have a flat tire.” These words, though delivered with humor, reveal the harsh reality of life: that when left unchecked, chaos and misfortune have a tendency to multiply, to grow, to spread like a plague upon our lives.

Woodberry’s words are not merely about bad luck or the randomness of life. They speak to a deeper truth: that the natural order of things, when left unattended, tends to unravel. The world is not always as it seems, and the forces that drive us forward are as often shaped by the unseen forces of fate, chance, and misfortune as by our own actions. Murphy's Law, and its corollaries, teach us that without vigilance, disorder creeps in. When you think you’ve overcome one obstacle, another appears, as if the universe, with all its might, has conspired to push you back again.

Think, children, of the great heroes of old—the Odysseus who battled not only against armies but against the very winds and waves of fortune. Though he was a man of great skill and strength, even he could not escape the capriciousness of the gods, who seemed determined to thwart him at every turn. The gods did not strike him down with a single blow, but through a thousand small trials—winds that blew him off course, companions who betrayed him, creatures who sought to devour him. Odysseus, despite his wisdom and strength, found that when left unchecked, the forces of misfortune often stack upon one another. Woodberry’s words echo this ancient truth: that life’s challenges often spiral, and the harder you fight against them, the more they seem to grow.

There is a deeper lesson here, children, one that teaches us both humility and preparedness. Things do tend to go from bad to worse, but that is not an invitation to despair. It is a call to action, to resolve, and to accept the inevitable challenges that life throws in our way. The key is not to avoid them, but to face them with grace. It is in the moments when things seem most chaotic that we must summon our inner strength, our wisdom, and our patience. As the great Marcus Aurelius taught, we cannot control the events that happen to us, but we can control how we respond to them. We may not prevent the flat tire, but we can choose how to deal with the next one.

Consider the tale of Sisyphus, the tragic figure condemned by the gods to roll a boulder up a hill, only to have it roll back down every time. Though his task was impossible, Sisyphus did not succumb to despair. He kept pushing the boulder, and in his perseverance, he found meaning in the struggle itself. Just as Sisyphus had to endure the seemingly endless cycle of failure, we too must learn to accept that misfortune and chaos are part of the human experience. Rather than bemoan the troubles we face, we must find strength in the act of persevering, in the very struggle that life requires of us.

The lesson, children, is this: life is not meant to be a smooth and easy path. Obstacles and setbacks will come, as inevitable as the rising of the sun, and we must not be disheartened by them. Instead, we must learn to see each challenge as an opportunity for growth, as an invitation to test our character and our resolve. Woodberry’s quote, though filled with wit, speaks of a universal truth—that the world does not always bend to our will, but we have the power to bend ourselves to the world. When faced with adversity, our strength lies in how we choose to rise again, time and time again, despite the odds.

So, I charge you now, young ones, to embrace the inevitable struggles that will come. Do not shy away from the challenges of life, for they are the forges in which your spirit is tempered. Instead, prepare yourself with wisdom, with patience, and with grace, for you will face not one flat tire, but many, and in each of them, you will find the strength to rise, to learn, and to continue the journey. Remember, children, the true measure of a person is not in the absence of hardship, but in how they respond to it, how they navigate the chaos, and how they find their way to the light, even when the road ahead seems impossibly dark.