I absolutely love this story! And it gets me every time I read it! I first heard it at a youth conference with some of my students and co workers, and I was recently reminded of it, so I dug it up on the internet for anyone else who might benefit from it:
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 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 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 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.
THAT'S LIFE! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity...THE ADVERSITIES THAT COME ALONG TO BURY US USUALLY HAVE WITHIN THEM THE POTENTIAL TO BENEFIT AND BLESS US!
Remember that FORGIVENESS--FAITH--PRAYER-- PRAISE and HOPE...all are excellent ways to "SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP" out of the wells in which we find ourselves!
- Author Unknown
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I have never heard this story, but it is so true. Many young people today deal with an onslaught of stuff piled on them. If they could realize that the way out is not drugs, gangs, alcohol etc. The way out is to "shake it off and step up". I think that is what I knew I had to do after my mother died. The pain and heartache was always there, often very close to the surface, but I knew what I had to do. I could not let that saddness destroy my life and what my mom and I had dreamed for my life. I had to "shake it off and step up".
I think that is what got me through and also made me strong and confident.
I cannot recall the name of the guy who said this, but the words are very true. This is my interpretation: "Everything that has happened in your life up to now is no coincidence, it had to happen exactly as it did in order for this moment to be as it is."
Even the trials and pains, hardship and stupid decisions we make, all had to happen for this moment to exist. The one thing that really sticks with me is that nothing that happens in our lives is a coincidence.
That works. I clicked where it said
'2 comments' and was able to get there.
Post a Comment