Debbie McGee, Poached Eggs and Tiny Islands

From Father Brian D’Arcy, a Catholic Passionist priest:

There’s a famous writer I like to learn from. He’ll never make the best sellers so you’ll never have heard of him. Many centuries ago Meister Eckhart wrote: “If the only prayer you ever said in your life was ‘thank you’ that would be enough.”

I get that. Gratitude goes a long way. I believe religion that isn’t shot through with gratitude is false. My whole life, my existence, is a miracle I don’t deserve.

I’m going to seek the help of a donkey to make my next point. Don’t laugh - donkeys appear in many bible stories. A young donkey once asked his Grandpa “ How can I grow up to be just like you?” “That’s easy!” Grandpa Donkey answered “All you have to do is to remember to shake it off and step it up.”

Let me explain.

 “When I was your age. I went walking one day. I wasn’t looking where I was going and so I fell into an old, deep, abandoned well. I was hurt, trapped and frightened and began to bray loudly.”

“The Farmer came by, looked in, saw me and left me there. The next morning he came around with his friends. I thought they’d rescue me but I heard him say the well was useless and I wasn’t worth saving so we’ll fill the hole in and let him die.“

“They began to shovel clay in on top of me. I was sure I would be buried alive. But in the panic I realised that as they clay came down, I could shake it off and step up. They kept shovelling and I kept shaking it off and stepping up. When evening came they had the well filled but they also helped me to step out of the well grateful, exhausted and free.”

“So no matter how bad things get, no matter how much dirt gets dumped on you, just remember to shake it off and step up.” Grandpa Donkey reminds me that courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying: “let me try again tomorrow.”

The difference between stumbling blocks and stepping stones is how we use them.