But it is at such moments that it is important not to give up and look for ways to solve problems. This instructive story about a farmer and his donkey vividly illustrates how perseverance and resourcefulness can help overcome even the most difficult situations. It reminds us that every obstacle is an opportunity for growth and development.
Once upon a time there was a farmer. He had a donkey that served him well all his donkey life. One day the donkey fell into a well because of carelessness and screamed terribly, calling for help. When the farmer came running and saw what was wrong, he was, of course, very upset, because he had only one donkey. The farmer began to think about what to do. He thought and thought and reasoned as follows: “My donkey is already old, it has almost served its time. And this well is almost dry – I have been planning to bury it for a long time. I will not be able to pull the donkey out anyway, so I will bury it in the well, and when it dies, the smell of decomposition will not be heard. And in time I will buy myself a young donkey, a hardy one.”
The farmer took a shovel and began to dig a well. The donkey, realizing what was happening, began to shout wildly in his donkey language. And suddenly he fell silent. Having thrown a few more shovels of earth into the well, the farmer decided to see why the donkey was silent. How amazed he was by what he saw! Every clod of earth that fell on his back, the donkey shook off and trampled under his feet. In this way he rose higher and higher. Soon there was so much earth under the donkey that he was able to jump out of the well.
The moment in the parable when the farmer decides to bury the donkey is striking in its cynical practicality. It makes us wonder how easily we, as humans, can rationalize our own inaction or even cruelty when faced with a seemingly hopeless situation. How often are we willing to write something (or someone) off as “a loss” instead of looking for unconventional solutions?
There are many difficulties in the life of each of us. Sometimes they come one after another. But you should not perceive them as an attempt by life to “bury” you. Difficulties are steps. Difficulties are experience. And when we gain experience, we become a step higher in our development.
No matter how hard it is, no matter what trials life throws at you, never give up. Follow the example of the donkey: shake yourself and get up. If you don't stop, you can get out of even the deepest well.
The simplicity of the donkey's action—”shake and rise”—is so powerful. It's a reminder that sometimes the most effective solutions aren't complex or grandiose, but consist in the consistent, purposeful transformation of negativity into a resource. My own practice shows that when I feel “buried”, dividing the problem into the smallest steps, each of which is “shaking one clod of earth”, allows me not only to see the way out, but also to feel progress, even when the overall situation seems hopeless. This gives hope and strengthens faith in my own strength.
