Shake It off and Step up!

身临绝境？

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.1 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.2 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.3

Initially the old mule was hysterical4! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back, a thought struck him.5 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!6

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!7 What seemed like it would bury him actually helped 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 very real potential to benefit us!8

1． 农夫听到了骡子在祈祷或是它们掉进井里后做任何事情的声音。
2． 农夫同情这头老骡子，但是经过仔细斟酌，还是认为不值得费力解救这头骡子，也不值得可惜这口井。
3． 并让他们帮助自己运土把这头老骡子埋在井里，以解除它的痛苦。enlist: 招揽、招集；haul: （用车等）运送。
4． hysterical/hi#sterik2l/: 歇斯底里般的。
5． 但当农夫和邻居们不停的把土铲落到它的背上时，他突然冒出一个念头。shovel/#17v2l/: 用铲子挖；strike: 使突然想到。
6． 他突然明白——每当一铲土落在它背上时，它可以把土摇落，让自己站高一点了！dawn on: 想到；领悟。
7． 没多久，这头疲惫憔悴的老骡子就成功地跨出了井沿。
8． 生活就是如此！如果我们能正视困难并能积极应对，而不在惊慌失措、悲伤痛苦、顾影自怜中放弃，真正使我们摆脱逆境的契机往往潜藏在那些可能吞没我们的厄运中！