Thursday, May 1, 2008

The Farmer's Donkey: A Fable for Our Time

I received this from a parishionner this morning. He couldn't have been more right on spot with sending this today. I really I'm not a "FW" person but I copied it and emailed it to most of my friends this morning... Here's what I got. Let me know is this inspires you at all.

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out a way to get him out. Finally he decided it was probably impossible and the animal was old and the well was dry anyway, so it just wasn't worth it to try and retrieve the donkey. So the farmer asked his neighbors to come over and help him cover up the well. They all grabbed shovels and began to shovel dirt into the well.

At first, when the donkey realized what was happening he cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement, he quieted down and let out some happy brays. A few shovel loads later, the farmer looked down the well to see what was happening and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was shaking it off and taking a step up. (Shifting)

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he continued to shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, to everyone's amazement, the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off!

Moral: Life is going to shovel dirt on you. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Every adversity can be turned into a stepping stone. The way to get out of the deepest well is by never giving up but by shaking yourself off and taking a step up.

What happens to you isn't nearly as important as how you react to it.

Author Unknown

6 comments:

Jane said...

I believe this to be true having had my share of dumpings of dirt over the years - you can let it bury you or you can turn it into a learning experience. The donkey learned so he's a survivor.
Good story - I would have forwarded that one on too.

Anonymous said...

I like that story, it gives perspective on life. I have one similar about marbles in a jar. I'll have to find it and email it to you.

Anonymous said...

So that is how I got out of the well!

Great story. Happy Friday.

The Gal Herself said...

What a great story! Thanks for sharing it. And I'm glad it was DIRT that was shoveled onto the poor donkey!

Kat Mortensen said...

And they say donkeys are dumb! Great story - very inspiring. Donkeys are one of my favourite animals. They are gentle and friendly and they have loads of personality. I'm missing the point, I know.

kat

Kat Mortensen said...

Oops! P.S. Come check out my new poem about Miley Cyrus.

Kat