Shake it Off
A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into
the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule braying - or whatever
mules
do when they fall into wells.
After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with
the
mule but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the
trouble
of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together, told them what
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 hysterical! 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, blow after blow. "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 blows or distressing the situation
seemed, the old mule fought panic and just kept right on shaking it off
and stepping up.
You're right! It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and
exhausted,
stepped 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!
Author Unknown
