Sunday's sermon at Saint James' Episcopal Church, Marietta, included this striking fable. The Rev. Camille Hegg told the story. This is my recollection of it.
The fool who lived outside of town had no family or friends, only a donkey. Every day, the fool saddled up his donkey with goods and walked with it into town to sell what he could sell.
One morning, he woke to find that the donkey had been stolen. That day, he trudged into town with nothing but a piece of paper. Everyone knew immediately that his donkey was missing, and they followed to see what he silently posted to the church door.
"To whoever stole my donkey: Return him, and I will give him to you."
When the villagers read what he had written, they shook their heads and called him a fool. "Why would you give the donkey to the person who stole it?"
"Because," he answered, "then I will experience the two great pleasures in life: Finding what had been lost, and sharing what I love."
