Please excuse this forwarding of an email "junk" mail, but it came to me the day after I read about the defeat of the California legislation and Kathleen's dissappointing experience.  I think it fits the situation very well:


One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well.  The animal cried piteously for hours as the  farmer tried to figure out what to do.

Finally he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway, it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well.

At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement, he quieted down.
A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. 

With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing.  He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt
on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! 

Shake it off and take a step up!



I think it also applies to many other situations we face in breastfeeding advocacy in general.

When I was in sales, we used to say that you had to hear five "no's" before you earned a "yes".   Each "no" takes you closer to a "yes".

Hearing "objections" is a good thing, it shows that they are at least interested, and for each objection you can learn what you need to address and overcome in the next presentation.  If they say NOTHING, then you are in big trouble - you have no idea what the problem is.

On a personal note, on Tuesday last week our Provincial Committee met with the Health Minister (first time) to present BFI and request hit assistance in implementing it in our province.  To our surprise, he was VERY receptive, and this was due in part to the fact that he was already somewhat familiar with the issue, having heard a presentation about the Nestle boycott from our local INFACT representative some many years ago!

So the education process is slow, but it is going on.

Sincerely,
Janice Reynolds
Consumer Rep, Breastfeeding Committee for Saskatchewan

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