Fool Me Once

This reminds me of the phrase:

Fool me once
Shame on You
Fool me twice
Shame on Me

Once you've been kicked, can you really learn anything by getting kicked by the same mule again?

Maybe that's why it hurts to get kicked when you're down. For heaven's sake, you've already learned the lesson. It doesn't have to be beat in.

I guess you just try to get up faster ... get to the other side of the mule by going around the front instead of the back -- and hope that the mule doesn't bite as well as he kicks!