Friends:

I am sure we all know what a jackass is. And I wonder, how many of them are here today.
Yet do you know that a jackass is a donkey? But a donkey does not necessarily act like a
jackass?
          To illustrate my point, let me tell you a story about a donkey:
          One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a 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. It just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey. So he
decided to bury the donkey.
          All his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to
shovel dirt into the well.  The donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly… then
slowly he quieted down.
          A few shovel loads later, the farmer looked down the well and was astonished at what
he saw. As the farmer’s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, the donkey
shook it off and took a step up. Pretty soon the well was filled with dirt. Everyone was
amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted away.
          Indeed, like the donkey, we all get our share of  crap shoveled at us. One of mine is a
heartbreaking experience that’s still fresh in my mind. At a young age of 16, I felt my whole
world crumble. There was a crisis in the family that is too painful to relate even now.  And I
did not know what to do. I felt  confused. I felt helpless and abandoned. I felt angry, hurt and
betrayed.  I cried so hard, and I was ready to give up.  It was a difficult situation indeed.
Relationships in the family were strained beyond belief. How does a young girl my age
handle the situation?, I asked myself.
            To ease the pain and get even at those who hurt me, I decided to live by my own
rules. So I partied a lot and stayed out late at night. I drank lotsa Red horse beer and even
tried smoking even though I was freaking Asthmatic! I did almost everything I could
imagine to be a real pain in the butt.
          But the more I did them the more miserable I became. The pain remained. Then I did
something really stupid. In a flash of desperation, I took a handful of sleeping pills and
thought of ending my life. As I stood there staring at the pills in my trembling hand, doubt
started to crowd my mind. Do I really want to do this? I got scared. In a fit of anger and
frustration, I threw away the pills and cried: “This is insane! Do I drive away the hurt by
hurting myself? This is giving up! Does one solve a problem by quitting? ONLY A
JACKASS WOULD DO SUCH A THING!!
          Then I remembered the story of the donkey. The farmer he served faithfully
abandonned him  and and the donkey must have been heartbroken. But what did the donkey
do? Did he just roll over and die? No, sir! The donkey faced the problem head-on. For every
shovel load of dirt thrown upon him, the donkey shook the it off and took a step up…until
the problem was licked.
          Yes! This is what I need to do.  I need to stop acting like a jackass and learn to be a
donkey. I need to face the problem head-on and not run away. I need to just shake off all the
dirt that come my way and step up. And I will be alright. Besides I am too young to die. It
would be such an awful waste of BEAUTY,dbah?! There is still so much life can offer. Do
you know that I haven’t even had a boyfriend yet? I’m sweet 16, I’ve never been touched,
never been kissed…BUT WILLING TO BE! And by the way, my dad…is a lawyer!
          I felt elated with the idea!  I felt a surge  of confidence that completely changed my
outlook in life.  From then on, I learned to forgive and love again.
Now at age 23, I can say that I am out of that well!!
         
Friends, Life is a constant challenge. Very often we find ourselves in a hole and getting
shoveled with all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the hole is to shake off the dirt and
take a step up. Each of life’s challenges is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest
wells by not quitting, by never giving up, by shaking off the dirt and taking a step up!
          So let me ask you guys: Are you a jackass? Or are you a donkey?