the donkey's tale

[Guest guest]

> One day a farmer's donkey fell into an abandoned well. The animal cried

> piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally,

> he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway;

> so, it just was not worth it to him to try to retrieve the donkey.

> He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They each grabbed a

> shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. Realizing what was happening,

> the donkey at first cried and wailed horribly. Then, a few shovels full

> later, he quieted down completely.

> The farmer peered down into the well, and was astounded by what he saw. With

> every shovel full of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something

> amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up on the new layer of dirt.

> As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he

> would shake it off and take a step up. Soon, the donkey stepped up over the

> edge of the well and trotted off, to the shock and astonishment of all the

> neighbors!

> Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting

> out of the well is to not let it bury you; but rather, 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 by just not stopping, by never giving up! Shake it off and

> take a step up!

> Remember these five simple rules to be happy:

> Free your heart from hatred.

> Free your mind from worry.

> Live simply.

> Give more.

> Expect less.

>

> Epilogue: After the donkey trotted off, he eventually returned to his owner.

> He then kicked the crap out of the farmer for trying to bury him.

> Which brings me to another moral for this story: when you try to cover your

> ass, it always comes back and gets you - eventually.