What do you do when life throws dirt at you?

...Once there was a donkey that fell in a very large hole.  The farmer did not know what to do.  He simply decided the best thing was to bury the donkey.  He began to shovel dirt into the hole.  At first the donkey panicked – he was being buried alive!  How could the farmer do such a cruel thing to him?

The dirt was getting very heavy on the donkeys back so he shook the dirt off.  The farmer continued to shovel the dirt into the hole and the donkey shook it off – a shovel of dirt, a shake off by the donkey, another shovel, another shake.  Soon the dirt began to pile up under the donkeys feet.  He realized that each time he shook the dirt off his back, the mound beneath him got taller and if he chose to step up onto the mound, he got closer to the top of the hole.  The farmer shoveled the dirt, the donkey shook it off and stepped up…higher and higher the donkey went.  Shovel of dirt, shake it off, step up…shovel of dirt, shake it off, step up.  Shovel, shake, step up – shovel, shake, step up.  Finally the donkey was standing so tall he could walk freely and easily out of the very hole he feared would bury him alive.

Life can throw dirt at us.  We can feel buried by challenges and trials and feel like giving up.  But we can also use the dirt that is thrown at us, to build character and rise up.  Sooner or later dirt will be thrown at you, but what you do with it is up to you.  You can use it to build your future or cover your grave.

What do you do when life throws dirt at you?  Do you shake it off and step up on it?  Remember, with each step up, you are closer to the top.  Wisdom is the view from the hilltop with much dirt under your feet.

Shake it off and step up – Shake it off and step up – Shake it off and step up