Pleasing all the people, all the time?

 

This post may be a bit long but it is important.

There once was a grandfather and grandson who lived at the very top of a mountain. The town was at the bottom of the mountain in the valley and it was an all-day trip from the top to the bottom and vice versa.

The grandpa and grandson had an old mule they named Hiney...he was a good for nothin mule and they had decided that at the first of the month when they had the sale in town that they would take Hiney down and sell him.

They woke up early in the morning the day before the sale and both began walking Hiney down the mountain to the town in the valley below.

As they walked they would pass by houses on the road of people who lived all along the mountain. When they passed one house there was a man outside having his morning coffee. He hollered at his wife inside and said look at those two dumb fellas there...they are both walking that mule when one could be riding it and the other walking it.

The grandfather overhearing what the neighbor said decided to put his grandson up on the mule...so now he was walking in front of the mule and the grandson was riding.

Then they passed a woman who was planting a flower bed...she said...look at that mean little boy up there riding on that mule and making his grandfather walk it. Overhearing this statement of objection, they decided to switch places with the grandfather riding and the grandson walking.

Then they passed another lady outside feeding her chickens and she said to her friend...look at that mean old man up there riding on that mule and making his grandson walk.

So...they both started walking the mule again.

Then they passed by the veterinarians office where he just happened to be outside looking at a guys horse. He told the horse owner...you know...by the time those two get to town...that mule is going to be so worn out that it won't be worth anything at the sale.

Overhearing the vets disconcerting comment...the grandfather and grandson decided to begin carrying the mule on their shoulders....one in front and one in back.

Just then they came to a footbridge with a steep drop and as they were making their way across, one of them stepped on a slick spot and over went Hiney plunging hundreds of feet to his death.

The moral of the story...

If you try to please everybody you will lose your hiney.

A side note. If you find that you have placed your “hiney” on your shoulders you are in trouble in the first place.

We spend so much time trying to please everyone else that sometimes we fail to please ourselves. Brothers may have the best interest at heart, but the execution is a bit off.  Any member of the above story could have reached out and offered true assistance. But did they? No, they sat on the sidelines fussing and complaining, passing judgment, on what the Grandpa and the boy were doing.

Yet while those who had no “skin in the game” were looking down their noses. The Grandpa did everything in his power to appease those that honestly cared less. In the end, it cost him everything.

In one of the groups, I am a member of we have an interesting way of handling such a situation.

It goes something like this. “That’s a great idea Brother, why don’t you show me how it is done!”

Nine times out of ten it will end the conversation. Or if the person really cares, they will humble themselves and assist. 

I love you and may we govern ourselves accordingly.