I find it amusing that the stubbornness of a donkey always has negative conotations. I’m sure you are familiar with the expression, “you’re stubborn as a donkey.” I don’t believe that phrase has ever been associated as a compliment. But perhaps it should be. Perhaps a donkey’s stubbornness is to be admired.
Donkey’s have a clear view of what they want, and what they don’t want. They’re very decisive creatures. You try and get a donkey to eat, of course it will eat. Why? Because a donkey will always want to eat.
However, if you try to convince a donkey to pull a wagon or carry you on its back, if the donkey doesn’t want to do it, you’ll be hard-pressed to make it happen. Or as they say in the south: that dog won’t hunt. (In translation: that idea isn’t gonna work.)
If a donkey doesn’t want to do something, it’ll dig in its heels, sit back on its haunches, and fight against whatever you try and force it into. A donkey makes up its mind about something, and fights for whatever it wants to do.
Yes, this can be a bad thing. Sometimes donkies buck authority. That can be a dangerous position. Especially when they go against rules that have been put in place for their protection.
But I believe it can be just as much a good thing as a bad thing. I think some of us could stand to be a little more stubborn. Some of us could stand up and fight for what we believe is best. Some of us could get off the fence and decide what it is we want and go for it. Some of us could be more like a donkey.
Until next time,
thewanderingraven
