This parable is told of a farmer who owned an old
mule. The mule fell into the farmer’s well. The farmer heard the mule praying
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 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 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 WOULD 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 how 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, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well! What seemed like it
would bury him actually helped him . . . all because of the manner in which he
handled his adversity.
Author Unknown
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