Dearest Darling Friends, 

 

One day a farmer’s donkey fell into a well. The animal cried loudly for hours, while the farmer unsuccessfully tried to find ways to get him out.

 

Finally, with a heavy heart, the farmer decided that the donkey was old and that it wasn’t worth all the effort of pulling the donkey out of the well.

 

The well too was dry and needed to be covered and closed so that no one else would fall into the well.

 

He asked his friends to help him. They each grabbed a shovel and began to throw dirt into the well.

 

The donkey was devastated at this betrayal by his master, the farmer, and cried horribly loud. He was expecting the master to save him and yet the master was burying him.

 

Then, to everyone’s surprise, he quieted down after a few shovelfuls of dirt.

 

The farmer and his friends looked down into the well and were amazed at what they saw.

 

With each shovelful of dirt, the donkey was doing something incredible: It was shaking off the dirt and stepping on top of the dirt.

 

Soon the dirt filled the well and the donkey remained on top of the dirt. The donkey just stepped over the edge and trotted out…

 

Life is going to throw dirt at you, all kinds of dirt… the trick to getting out of the sink hole is to shake off the dirt and use it to step up.

 

Each of our problems is a step up.
Each of our setback is a step up.
Each of our betrayals is a step up.
Each of our mistakes is a step up.
Each of our tragedies is a step up.

 

What the donkey has taught me is to….

 

1. Free my heart from hurt. I just need to shake off the dirt.

2. Simplify my life. I just need to shake off the dirt.

3. Focus on solutions and NOT the problem. I just need to shake off the dirt.

4. No one is impressed with my anger. I just need to shake off the dirt.

5. People might throw dirt on me when I am vulnerable. I just need to shake off the dirt.

 

Your thoughts?