A farmer owned an old donkey. The donkey fell into the farmer’s well. The farmer heard the donkey braying. After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the donkey, but decided that neither the donkey nor the well was worth the trouble saving.

Instead, he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened…and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old donkey in the well and put him out of his misery. Initially, the old donkey 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. It wasn’t long before the old donkey, 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.

Be at least as smart as that old donkey. The next time trouble seems to bury you, remember to shake it off and step up.