Swings and a Parable

10/22/07 - 2nd Day - After Breakfast. Woke up this morning to a howling wind, some on-again/off-again driving rain, and cooler temps. The temperature around here has been all over the board. Yesterday morning it was in the 50's, then it got up near 90 yesterday. This morning it is 47 and the high today is supposed to be 55-58. I love fall, but this is a bit ridiculous! Fall and winter can be a bit strange around here. It is not uncommon for it to get into the 20's and 30's at night, and up into the 70's, 80's or 90's during the day. A 50 degree swing is not uncommon at all. I was perusing some of the old blog posts, and I discovered that a year ago on this morning it was 37 degrees, so I am satisfied with 47 and windy.

Speaking of perusing old blog posts. Here is a parable I wrote last year that has proven to be eerily prophetic...

Every day a servant boy went to the field and let out a loud whistle to call in all the working stock. Each day after seeing each animal to its assigned task - the horses to the carriage, the old ass to the plow - he would return to the field to work with a stubborn young ass who refused to obey. The boy would try to lead the ass from in front, but the ass would just lock his heels. The boy would try to beat the ass from behind with a whip, but the ass would just cower under the beating, refusing to budge. Eventually the boy would get tired of trying to train the ass, and he would leave him in the field and head off to his own work.

One day a weathered old ass, on his way to be hooked up to the plow for the day, walked by the stubborn ass and said, "ready for another beating today, I see".

The young ass just laughed and said, "I have learned that if I am more stubborn than the boy, then I get to spend the whole day eating in this field. Maybe you should try it."

The old ass shook his head. "That boy works for the master of these lands. However coarse his ways, and however vulgar his methods, he is trying to make you useful to the master, and so long as he doesn't quit, then there is hope for you - but one day he won't even try to train you any more. He will give up on you. And soon the master will come and ask the boy why you are not being used to his advantage; why you are permitted to consume his field and are not profitable to him."

The young ass laughed again. "Let the master come with his larger whip, and let him beat me from in front and from behind. I will not be moved. I have learned if I resist through all the scourging, I am left alone to eat in this field."

The old ass looked at the young ass in the eye and said, "When the master comes he will not bring the whip or the goad. He will bring his shotgun, and he will make you profitable by selling your carcass for glue". The old ass turned and walked towards his daily duty.

Take it from an old ass... when you learn from the whip and count it profitable, you live to be an old ass.

Michael Bunker

Ok, that is enough for today. It's time to go pull the plow.

Michael