Shake it off & rise above it

A story has been passed down among generations about a farmer who owned an old mule.  After a long day's work in the field, this mule headed to his paddock and accidentally fell into the deep farmer's well.

Not long after that, the farmer heard the mule braying in a way the man hadn't heard before. After discovering what had happened and reviewing his options, the farmer felt guilty about the mule's suffering. He decide the best thing would be to put the animal out of his misery. So, he recruited a neighbor and explained things.  They sympathized with the farmer and the mule. Together, they hauled dirt toward the well and decided it would make a good grave marker.

Initially, as the old mule felt dirt landing on its back, he became frantic. But the farmer and his neighbor continued shoveling and the dirt.  It came in greater amounts.  Then, the mule had a revelation. Every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back, he could shake it off and step on the pile.   He did exactly that, as if to resist blow after blow.

He silently encouraged himself.  He didn't desire to die. No matter how discouraging it seemed that his beloved owner was trying to bury him alive, he decide to reframe his toughts.  AS the result, each pile of dirt went from being seen as very distressing to being seen as a blessing in disguise.  They knew where he was and they were helping him! He reframed his situation.  The mule fought  his impulse to panic and just kept right on shaking off the dirt and stepping up.

Low and behold, it wasn't long before the old mule, albeit exhausted, reached the top and stepped victorious over the opening og the well. Imagine the looks of amazement on the farmer and his neighbour.  They realized they could learn a few things from that old mule as the result of how he had handled his adversity.

Throughout life, just like the old mule, each of us is confronted with difficulties.  All-the-while, we always have choices.  We can refuse to give into the temptation to fear, doubt or, be consumed by negative thinking. There is hidden value in every situation which we can use to transform ourselves.  You can always devise a strategy to get out of the wells of despair.  How will you reframe aspects of your life to find good in every condition, every event, and every moment?  Learn how to shake your head and refuse to give into hardship, self-pity or defeat.  Shake off any thoughts that you aren't capable.  Realize that you are.  Go and rise above self-defeating thinking.

A tale of three trees & then some

The Tale of Three Trees has been retold and highlights familiar human traits.  This ficticious moral tale for children describes the ambitions of an olive tree, an oak tree and a pine tree.  Each of these trees had individual dreams, like a life plan people so often formulate and hope to realize. 

The olive tree imagined itself being carved into a magnificent treasure chest which would hold gold, silver and very precious jewels.  When a woodcutter distinguished this particular tree among all the tress around, the tree obviously felt extra sprecial. It was sold to a craftsman who began to shape it into something the tree soon understood wasn't to be a treasure chest.  Instead, the olive tree was carved into a trough for stinky animal food. You can surmise this tree was devastated at its apparent fate.  It believed it would never realize its dream to be appreciated at a higher level.  This tree felt degraded, almost compared with the gutter.

The oak tree also had a dream.  This tree envisaged becoming integrated into a glorious ship that would ferry important people like royalty across great bodies of water.  As this tree was cut down, you might speculate it was excited, feeling that much closer to realizing its dreams.  But alas, as time passed, this oak tree realized he wasn't destined to be part of a great vessel.  Instead, the woodworkers shaped the oak tree into a puny, non-descript fishing boat for one person.  Of course, the oak tree was deeply saddened by fate. The other dream wasn't realized.

Now the pine tree grew on a distant mountain and was pleased to act as a beacon for travellers on their journeys.  Its ultimate dream was to remain where it stood tall so that it could continue to guide people who felt lost.  Yet, unbeknownst to this tree, Mother Nature had other plans.  A huge storm led to a lightning bolt splitting the pine tree.  The future looked like a complete disaster.  A lumberjack eventually came by and took the dead tree to a wood scrap pile. It seemed as if its dreams were long since forgotten.

And yet, just when we feel the most discouraged, this is when we can realize that our idea of destiny may not have been what was planned for us at all.

As it happened, if you know any Christian history, you will recall how Mary and Joseph had baby Jesus in a stable, for the inns were all full.  They used a particular animal trough as a manger in which they put clean straw.  The olive tree had desired to hold precious jewles, but it turned out to be destined to hold a thing far more precious, a rather unique and cherished human life.

As Jesus grew up, there came a time when he desired to cross a river.  He didn't choose the most elegant or the largest ship for his journey.  He was a man of simplicty and chose the small fishing boat.  This enabled the oak tree to carry the king of kings, when it had originally had a far mroe limited vision for its destiny.

Years passed, and a group of Roman soldiers were rummaging around in scrap wood piled.  They chose the character of the severed pine tree to carve the cross on which Jesus was eventually crucified.  That tree was shaped into a symbol that continues to guide and assist people.

This tale reminds us all of our own inner value.  We're also drawn to realize that each of us has rather limited ideas of our abilities and potential.  The plan and purpose you think you're meant for in this lifetime may not turn out to be the real reason why you're alive.  You may in fact, be present for things you couldn't ever hope to anticipate.  Thus, it makes sense to learn to rethink disappointments.  After all, you're being prepared for even more fulfilling roles and experiences. 

The frog on the horizon

You may feel comfortable where you are doing what you're doing. And yet, you may not realize the great opportunities that pass you by.

Consider the story of the frog who was born at the bottom of the well in a remote town. This was the world he knew. He was initially content to splash around in the water he had always known. After all, his family was there and he was having fun. He didn't mind so much the size of the little round well. He felt as though he had everything he needed. So why move or change?

But the day came when this little frog decided to look upward instead of simply straight ahead as he always had. He caught a glimpse of light that sparked his curiosity. He wondered what was up there. He felt the impulse to climb up the slippery wall of the well. Admittedly, it was tricky. The uneven bricks in were covered in wet moss. It would've been much easier for the frog to remain where he had been. He looked back yet, decided to keep going forward.

When he finally reached the opening at the top, he cautiously peered over the edge. What he discovered was astonishing. He caught a glimpse of a glassy pond. This body of water was much bigger than the water in the well. He hopped in that direction and stumbled upon soft lily pads. Never felt anything like that before! Marveled as he was by what he saw and touched, he decided to venture out a bit further. Much to his surprise, he discovered a lake. After swimming in the lake, he sensed he might go further still. When he did, he came across water as far as he could see. A wise turtle explained that the frog had arrived at the ocean. It was beyond belief.  He decided he would swim until he reached the horizon. After a while, he got on the back of the turtle, and they continued swimming.

The story of the frog reminds us how we can limit our own thinking. It's one thing to be content with what we have where we are, but its another thing altogether to shy away from challenge or change because you prefer to stagnate or fear uncertainty. The only ways to evolve and grow is to take risks to do what you haven't tried before. Being adventurous doesn't necessarily mean you're restless or seek to avoid discomfort where you are. The idea of reaching out to discover your destiny is a means build self-confidence.   Empower yourself and you'll create the life you want.

Ugly & grateful

Everyone in the apartment complex I lived in knew who Ugly was. Ugly was the resident tomcat. Ugly loved three things in this world: fighting, eating garbage, and shall we say, love. The combination of these things combined with a life spent outside had their effect on Ugly.

To start with, he had only one eye, and where the other should have been was a gaping hole. He was also missing his ear on the same side, his left foot has appeared to have been badly broken at one time, and had healed at an unnatural angle, making him look like he was always turning the corner. His tail has long age been lost, leaving only the smallest stub, which he would constantly jerk and twitch.

Ugly would have been a dark gray tabby striped-type, except for the sores covering his head, neck, and even his shoulders with thick, yellowing scabs. Every time someone saw Ugly there was the same reaction. "That's one UGLY cat!!" All the children were warned not to touch him, the adults threw rocks at him, hosed him down, squirted him when he tried to come in their homes, or shut his paws in the door when he would not leave.

Ugly always had the same reaction. If you turned the hose on him, he would stand there, getting soaked until you gave up and quit. If you threw things at him, he would curl his lanky body around feet in forgiveness. Whenever he spied children, he would come running meowing frantically and bump his head against their hands, begging for their love. If ever someone picked him up he would immediately begin suckling on your shirt, earrings, whatever he could find.

One day Ugly shared his love with the neighbor’s huskies. They did not respond kindly, and Ugly was badly mauled. From my apartment I could hear his screams, and I tried to rush to his aid. By the time I got to where he was laying, it was apparent Ugly's sad life was almost at an end. Ugly lay in a wet circle, his back legs and lower back twisted grossly out of shape, a gaping tear in the white strip of fur that ran down his front.

As I picked him up and tried to carry him home I could hear him wheezing and gasping, and could feel him struggling. I must be hurting him terribly I thought. Then I felt a familiar tugging, sucking sensation on my ear. Ugly, in so much pain, suffering and obviously dying was trying to suckle my ear. I pulled him closer to me, and he bumped the palm of my hand with his head, then he turned his one golden eye towards me, and I could hear the distinct sound of purring.

Even in the greatest pain, that ugly battled scarred cat was asking only for a little affection, perhaps some compassion. At that moment I thought Ugly was the most beautiful, loving creature I had ever seen. Never once did he try to bite or scratch me, or even try to get away from me, or struggle in any way. Ugly just looked up at me completely trusting in me to relieve his pain.

Ugly died in my arms before I could get inside, but I sat and held him for a long time afterwards, thinking about how one scarred, deformed little stray could so alter my opinion about what it means to have true pureness of spirit, to love so totally and truly. Ugly taught me more about giving and compassion than a thousand books, lectures, or talk show specials ever could, and for that I will always be thankful.

He had been scarred on the outside, but I was scarred on the inside, and it was time for me to move on and learn to love truly and deeply. To give my total to those I cared for. Many people want to be richer, more successful, well liked, beautiful, but for me, I will always try to be Ugly.

~Anonymous (Author Unknown)