One day a farmer's donkey fell into a well. The animal cried for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway, it just wasn't worth getting the donkey back. So, he decided to bury it!
He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and begun to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly, then slowly he quieted down till nothing more was heard.
A few shovels later, the farmer finally looked down into the well, and was astonished by what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing! He would shake it off and take a step up!
As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on the top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off!
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to get out of the well is to stop wailing, and not let the dirt bury you, but to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up!