SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP
(A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule.)
The mule fell into the farmer's dry well. The farmer
heard the mule 'braying' - or - whatever mules do when
they fall into dry wells. After carefully assessing the
situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but
decided that neither the mule nor the dry well was
worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his
neighbors together and told them what had happened...
and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule
in the well and put him out of his misery.
Initially, the old mule was in a panic! But as the farmer
and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit
his back...a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on
him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his
back...he should shake it off and step up! This he did,
shovel full after shovel full.
"Shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up...
shake it off and step up!" he repeated to encourage
himself. No matter how painful the dirt hitting his back,
or distressing the situation seemed, the old mule
fought "panic" and just kept right on shaking it off and
stepping up!
It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and
exhausted, steppped triumphantly over the wall of that
well!
What seemed like it would bury him, actually blessed
him...all because of the manner in which he handled
his adversity.
That's Life!