Setf-Discipline in 10 days Fear of Rejection AStory Once upon a bright, sunny morning a man and his young son left their farm to make a trip into town. The boy rode atop their donkey as the father walked alongside. Along the road they encountered a fellow from the nearby village. "You should be ashamed of yourself!" the fellow said, admonishing the boy. "You ride comfortably while your poor, old father has to walk. You have no respect!" The boy and his father first sheepishly exchanged glances, then exchanged places. As the two continued their journey, they chanced upon another fellow. "You selfish old man!" he said. "You take the easy ride while your poor son wears himself out trying to keep up. You should at least let the boy ride also." Not wishing to offend, the old man helped his son climb aboard. The pair then continued their journey. Before long, they came upon a woman coming from the opposite direction. She, too, found fault with their arrange- ‘ment. "T've never seen such cruelty! You two lazy louts are too heavy for that poor donkey. It would be more fitting for the two of you to be carrying the animal." Not wishing to fall from favor with the woman, the man directed his son to bind the donkey's front hooves together, then back hooves together, Meanwhile, 687. Fearof Rejection the man himself cut a long, sturdy pole from a nearby tree. The pair laid the animal down, slid the pole through his bound hooves, then lified the pole to their shoulders-the father on one end, the boy on the other, the donkey hanging upside- down on the pole between them. Carrying the donkey, the pair trudged along. As they crossed the bridge that lead into town, the upside-down donkey saw his reflection in the water below from an angle that he had never before seen. The animal became frightened and suddenly thrashed about violently, causing the pair to lose their grips on the pole. Before they could grab him, the donkey (fell off the narrow bridge into the water below. Still bound, the donkey was unable to swim. From the bridge, the father and son helplessly watched as their donkey sank out of sight, into the deep water below. Moral: Afier a moment of silent reflection, the father turned to the boy and spoke: "Son, we learned a valuable lesson today. We learned that when you try to satisfy everyone you end up losing your ass." 69