Shake It Off

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he realized the animal was old and decided the well needed to be covered up anyway. It just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to put dirt into the well.

At first the donkey realized what was happening and cried. Then, to every one's amazement he quited down. A few shovel load later, the farmer finally looked down at the well and was astonished at what he saw.

With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors continued to put dirt on the top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped over the edge of the well and trolled off! Instead of being buried inside the well, the donkey was wise enough to make the situation work for its own benefit. It transformed the seemingly sad situation to something that brought freedom and joy and a new chance at life.

Life is going to put dirt on us: different kinds of dirt-FAILURES, BETRAYALS, FRUSTRATIONS, BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS. The trick to getting out of the well is to SHAKE IT OFF and TAKE A STEP UP. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by NOT STOPPING, NEVER GIVING UP and BEING WISE enough to make seemingly bad situations to work great for our own good.

SHAKE IT OFF AND TAKE A STEP UP!