Friends—it’s the day after Christmas and I don’t know how the holiday season went for you. Did it meet your expectations? Did you experience frustration, disillusionment and disappointment, maybe anxiety and fear? Did family and friends conjure up emotions you’d just assume forget about? Take a moment and read the following story.
Æsop. (Sixth century B.C.) Fables.
The Man, the Boy, and the Donkey
A MAN and his son were once going with their Donkey to the market. As they were walking along by its side a countryman passed them and said: “You fools, what is a Donkey for but to ride upon?”
So the Man put the Boy on the Donkey and they went on their way. But soon they passed a group of men, one of whom said: “See that lazy youngster, he lets his old father walk while he rides.”
So the Man ordered his Boy to get off, and got on himself. But they hadn’t gone far when they passed two women, one of whom said to the other: “Shame on that lazy lout to let his poor little son trudge along while he rides.”
Well, the Man didn’t know what to do, but at last he took his Boy up before him on the Donkey. By this time they had come to the town, and the passers-by began to jeer and point at them. The Man stopped and asked what they were scoffing at. The men said: “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself for overloading that poor Donkey of yours—you and your hulking son?”
The Man and Boy got off and tried to think what to do. They thought and they thought, till at last they cut down a pole, tied the Donkey’s feet to it, and raised the pole and the Donkey up to their shoulders. They went along amid the laughter of all who met them till they came to Market Bridge, when the Donkey, getting one of his feet loose, kicked out and caused the Boy to drop his end of the pole. In the struggle the Donkey fell over the bridge, and his fore-feet being tied together he was drowned.
“That will teach you,” said an old man who had followed them:
“PLEASE ALL, AND YOU WILL PLEASE NONE.”
Friends—unload the unnecessary. Lighten your load and be at peace. Operate in the strength God has given you. Do not overload your spirit. Be yourself.
God bless and happy new year. 🎊