Thursday, January 14, 2010

How I know I'm Not A Donkey

Once, when I was having a rough time and nothing in my life seemed as though it was going in my favor, I was pouring my troubles out to a very good friend. I remember saying, "Every time I turn around I feel like it's raining shit and I don't have an umbrella!!!" I find that my language can be particularly colorful when I am feeling put upon.

A few days later, she sent a story about The Donkey In The Well. You may already be familiar with it, but for those who aren't it goes something like this:

One day a poor farmer's donkey fell into a dry well. The trapped beast cried and brayed for hours while the farmer ran around trying to figure out what to do. (See, this is why men really shouldn't be allowed to baby sit...I mean, really, how the hell does one let their donkey fall into a well????)

At any rate, the farmer finally reached the conclusion that there was no way to get the donkey out of the well. And, as it was rather old, (sure, blame the donkey,) and the well was a hazard, (No! Really?!) it should be filled in. Finding no other solution to help retrieve the donkey, the farmer decided to bury his only donkey in the well. (Stellar plan Mr. Farmer!!!)

He called for his neighbors to help him shovel. (Umm, don't you think the neighbors could have been summoned to see if they couldn't collectively get the poor beast out of the hole???!!!) And, so more time passed as the neighbors began shoveling, raining more and more dirt down on the poor donkey.

At first, with each shovel full that hit, the donkey cried piteously louder and louder. Then, sadly after a time, all was silent in the well. The farmer decided to look to see if the Donkey was done for, (How very, very brave!)

He was amazed by what he saw, for instead of being buried under by each shovel of earth that went over the side, there the donkey stood blinking up at him. When the dirt hit its back, the donkey shook it off. As the dirt he shook off piled up, the donkey stepped up higher.

This happened repeatedly until finally the well was almost filled in and miraculously, the old donkey stepped up over the lip, shaking the dirt off its back as it trotted off.

Now, I happen to really like this story and my friend sent it at the right time. It reminded me that the world is going to dump on all of us at one time or another. No exceptions! And, there will be times in life when you really do feel like it's raining shit and you don't have an umbrella to hide under.

The question becomes, what are you going to do at those times? Are you going to stop, give in, and wait to be smothered? Or, are you going to take it as it comes and figure out the best way to move upward and through it by making the best of the situation? Either choice is yours. Either choice was the donkey's, but being a simple creature, it accepted things as they came at him and well, the rest is a good story, (No thanks to the really stupid farmer who doesn't deserve the old or any other donkey for that matter, but I digress...)

So, yeah I really like that story.

But, there's only one problem. It doesn't apply to me as I'm positive I've never been a donkey in any other life. Because if I had ever been a donkey, and most particularly that poor donkey, when I stepped over the lip of the well?

I'd have mule kicked the ever-living shit out of that Jackass farmer holding onto the other end of that shovel. And that would make for an entirely different parable.

The End.

Namaste' Till Next Time,
Holly aka She Who Can Act Like A Mule, But Was Never A Donkey

26 comments:

Jules - Big Girl Bombshell said...

Wonderful, as usual!

xxx said...

Holly..
I like this tale very much.
This is the first I've heard of it and I like its simplicity and useful message.

I'm still smiling.

best wishes
your friend
Ribbon :)

Cindy said...

I have heard it before, but not with the Holly twist, I sense a little hostility at the end! lol. Love the photos, especially the last one....do love the message. Take care.

Anne H said...

The ending I heard was this:
Later the donkey came back and bit the farmer. So, if you try to cover your mistakes, it will come back to bite you in the ass!
Something like that!
Great job, Holly!

Miss Robyn said...

I love your own little 'asides' to the story.. hee, hee..

Mark Pemburn said...

Excellent -- what a great way to start the day! Thanks, my friend!

MarkyP

Liz Fulcher, The Fragrant Muse said...

What a story! So is it true? Yeah, kicking the everliving shit out of the farmer sounds about right... But what a great metaphor for life. Thank you Holly!

Sr. Ann Marie said...

Holly, I love this story--and this is just the day I need it! Thanks for getting my day off to a good start.

Jenn @ My Not So Glamorous Life said...

ABSOLUTLEY the thing I needed to read today. THANK YOU so much for sharing this, as yesterday the shit was pouring down, LOL!
Have a beautiful day <3

beth said...

this is a GREAT.... nooooo this is a FABULOUS story !

I loved it and even though I'm not donkey like, although some would say I have my "ass like" moments....I think I would have done the same thing as the donkey....positive attitude, positive thoughts.

so I would have made it out of there and then like you said...I would have done ass kicking !!

Boozy Tooth said...

No doubt about it... the real ass in the story is the farmer! I'd have kicked the shit out of him too.

LOL.

Great post, Holly. I love it when you get sassy!

Desert Mermaid said...

oh F**K!! (sorry) but this is MAD WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!

Kathleen Krucoff said...

ROTFLMAO!!!

Well put my dear.

The photo of the donkey, along with the title of this post drew me here. Love the story, love your colorful language and eloquence in describing this even more. Especially the ending where if it had been you the farmer would have suffered for his stupidity!! Bravo.

Thanks for sharing. Life truly is a matter of choices and how you choose to react to what happens to you.

Joanna Jenkins said...

OMG! I need that story today Holly and the big, long laugh that came with it! I never heard it before but I will most definitely be telling it again.

Great piece of writing!

xo

joyce said...

How do you come up with such interesting things every day? That is a great story, I foresaw the ending halfway through, but it was still a great story. My question is, who took the picture of the poor donkey in the well?

Suzie said...

I've heard the story before, but love your embellishments and personal insights!

And who couldn't love that photo at the end!

Thanks for sharing them with us!

Genie Sea said...

There was a donkey and a farmer, but the donkey wasn't the ass. :) Love the story and the smiling donkey's face at the end. Thanks Holly! :)

Anonymous said...

Great story....love the ending, love the message, love the pictures, what can I say, I love donkeys.

Cygnus MacLlyr said...

I am one of those jackasses who occasionally makes the life's-dumpage more personal. But solid enough to know, Sh**ty as it is at the moment, that i'm sloughing it off, too, and shall always emerge and step over the lip.

And likely kick the farmer as well! HA!

Thanks, momma deitor. Your writing always hits me personal. [that's a good thing.]

Big Pissy said...

GREAT!!!!!!!!!!

I would help you push that farmer in the well! ;-)

Barbara said...

Love it! Have never heard it before. But only you could tell it that way. Great post. I actually kinda needed that tonight.

Hugs, B

gayle said...

I have read that before but it was so great to read it again and with your side notes!!

clairedulalune said...

Holly, I have never heard that story before, but I like it, especially with your take on things! Hope all is well in your world Holly!

Jeanne Frances Klaver said...

Oh Holly! Love your ending. Sounds just like what I'd have done. Love those photos.

Cece said...

Just found your blog! Love this story and will send it to my friend who might enjoy it right about now as the shit is piling on!
Cece
www.thetwowhos.com

yun said...

Just in time for my own shit raining days. Like your blog....

Thank you.

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