There’s a story about a farmer and his aging mule that fell into a well. The distressed farmer, upon hearing the mule’s brays, surveyed the situation. Sympathizing with the mule, he deemed the well and the mule not worth the trouble of rescue. Instead, he gathered his neighbors and shared the predicament, enlisting their help to bury the mule in the well, putting an end to its suffering.
Initially, the old mule was frantic. However, as shovelfuls of dirt rained down on its back, a realization dawned. With each load, the mule could “shake it off and step up.” Despite the pain and distress, the mule persisted with this mantra, overcoming adversity blow by blow.
“Shake it off and step up… shake it off and step up…” echoed in its determination. In the end, the battered and exhausted mule emerged triumphant over the well’s wall. What appeared to be its burial became a blessing, all thanks to how it handled adversity. The tale teaches us that disappointment, no matter how daunting, can either make or break us – it all depends on how we choose to cope with it.