Yesterday was Day 3 of Staycation, and we are finally beginning to grant ourselves permission to unwind, relax, and leave the world’s troubles at the door. The past overloaded us with burdens too heavy for a single person’s shoulders. I see the pain of Atlas’ face reflected in the loving eyes of friends and loved ones.

Oscar Wilde said, “The burden of this world is too great for one man to bear, and the world’s sorrow too heavy for one heart to suffer.”  And Denis Diderot tells us,  “Every burden is made to be shaken off.”

It reminds me of the story, The Farmer and His Donkey.

One day a farmer’s donkey fell into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out a way to get him out. Finally, he decided it was probably impossible, and the animal was old, and the well was dry anyway, so it just wasn’t worth it to try and retrieve the donkey. So the farmer asked his neighbors to come over and help him cover up the well. They all grabbed shovels and began to shovel dirt into the well.

At first, when the donkey cried horribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement, the donkey relaxed and let out some happy brays. A few shovel loads later, the farmer looked down the well to see what was happening and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was shaking it off and taking a step up.

As the farmer’s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he continued to shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, to everyone’s amazement, the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off!

No matter the challenges and the obstacles blocking my way, I maintain the item at the top of my list as a non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 559 words.

Did you write yesterday?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer