THANK YOU SO MUCH...

There is an old story. For some days now, it has been coming back to my mind… and, each time it comes, I find myself a lot re-assured, a lot hopeful. It is 6 in the morning, now. The story was there just waiting, as soon as I opened my eyes!

A farmer in a village had a donkey. One day, this donkey fell into an empty well. As the donkey began to cry hysterically and endlessly, the farmer struggled hard to get him out of the well. However, as the well was deep, the farmer’s efforts were going in vain.

Finally, the farmer gave up. “The donkey is old, anyway,” he reasoned, “and the well has no water.”

Saying so to himself, the farmer gathered some passerby’s and asked them to help him in filling the worthless well with mud and dirt. So, each of them got a shovel and started dumping mud and dirt into the well.

As the muck started falling on his head, the donkey couldn’t believe it, first! “How can my own master, who I had served so loyally for so long, do this for me!” he cried in pain, even more hysterically, “It is unfair… It is betrayal of my trust… It is cruel.”

Then, all of a sudden, the donkey became quiet… He had, by now, realized that crying helplessly was of no use. It was only breaking his heart. Instead, he decided to do what was possible even in such a situation.

Now, as each shovel of muck fell on him, the donkey stood straight and just shook him off… He did it again and again and over and over again as mud and dirt kept falling on him.

Soon, the well was full to the brim… and, our brave donkey was standing on the top! As soon as he reached there, he cried as loudly as he could – “Thank you so much!”… And, with the speed of lightening, the donkey shot himself onto his own way!

In life, it is useless to blame others for our plight. It is useless to cry…

No matter what situation we are in… 

how deep the well is…

No matter who has let us down… 

and how badly…

Hey, like this donkey did, we all can do it, too…

Just gather your strength and patience… Just stand there strong, straight… Just shake the muck off your head… Just till your time comes to declare – “Thank you so much!”… and shoot onto your own way!

GERALD D’CUNHA

Pics. Vivek D'Cunha