The Rest is just Sand

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 glasses of wine...

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then ask ed the students again if the jar was full.

They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two glasses of wine from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand.
The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things; your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favourite passions; things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.'

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else; the small stuff.

'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.'

'Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. Do one more run down the ski slope. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the waste disposal. Take care of the golf balls first; the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.'

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the wine represented.

The professor smiled. 'I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of glasses of wine with a friend.' 

Today

I will be a steel magnolia not a shrinking violet.  I will be imitated never intimidated.  Out beyond ideas of wrong doing and right doing, there is a field.... I will meet you there......

Rachel Naomi Remen, MD

In the depths of every wound we have survived,

Is the strength we need to live.

The wisdom our wounds can offer us

 Is a place of refuge..

 Finding this is not for the faint of heart

 But then, neither is life.............

Timeless Wisdom

I've learned . . . .



that the best classroom in the world


is at the feet of an elderly person.


I've learned . . . .


that when you're in love, it shows.




I've learned . . . .


that just one person saying to me,


"You've made my day!" makes my day.




I've learned . . . .


that I feel better about myself when


I make others feel better about themselves.






I've learned . . . .


that having a child fall asleep in your


arms is one of the most peaceful


feelings in the world.




I've learned . . . .


that what we have done for ourselves


alone dies with us. What we have done


for others and the world remains and


is immortal.






I've learned . . . .


that one sincere apology is worth more


than all the roses money can buy.








I've learned . . . .


that words harshly spoken are as difficult


to retrieve as feathers in a gale.








I've learned . . . .


that being kind is more important than


being right.








I've learned . . . .


that you should never say no to a


gift from a child.








I've learned . . . .


that I can always pray for someone when


I don't have the strength to help him


in some other way.






I've learned . . . .


that no matter how serious your life


requires you to be, everyone needs a


friend to act goofy with.






I've learned . . . .


that sometimes all a person needs is a


hand to hold and a heart to understand.






I've learned . . . .


that simple walks with my father around


the block on summer nights when I was


a child did wonders for me as an adult.




I've learned . . . .


that life is like a roll of toilet paper.


The closer it gets to the end, the


faster it goes.






I've learned . . . .


that money doesn't buy class.





I've learned . . . .


that it's those small daily happenings


that make life so spectacular.






I've learned . . . .


that once a relationship is over,


if you experienced more smiles than


tears, then it wasn't a waste of time.






I've learned . . . .


that under every one's hard shell is


someone who wants to be appreciated


and loved.






I've learned . . . .


never to humiliate another person.


Always give him an honorable way to


back down or out of something and


still save face.






I've learned . . . .


that the Lord didn't do it all in one


day. What makes me think I can?






I've learned . . . .


that if you are still talking about


what you did yesterday, you haven't


done much today.





I've learned . . . .


that to ignore the facts does not


change the facts.






I've learned . . . .


that when you plan to get even with


someone, you are only letting that


person continue to hurt you.






I've learned . . . .


that you view other people's children


in a whole different light when you


have some of your own.






I've learned . . . .


that the older I get, the smarter my


parents become.






I've learned . . . .


that when your wife simply answers,


"nothing" when you ask her what's


wrong, you're in deep trouble.






I've learned . . . .


that love, not time, heals all wounds.






I've learned . . . .


that the easiest way for me to grow as


a person is to surround myself with


people smarter than I am.






I've learned . . . .


that I always think of the right thing


to say when it's too late.






I've learned . . . .


that the fire of a past love will always


burn with a small flame.






I've learned . . . .


that even at the age of forty-nine,


you can still feel like a twelve


year old child when your mother is


talking to you.





I've learned . . . .


that no matter what their ages or how


far away they may be, you never stop


wanting to keep a protective arm


around your children.






I've learned . . . .


to gather all the crumbs thrown my way.


They soon form a lovely, thick slice


of life and memories.






I've learned . . . .


that when you want a garment to shrink,


it won't, and when you don't, it will


come out of the dryer and fit your cat!






I've learned . . . .


that commercials for feminine products


always comes on when you are sitting


in the living room with all men.





I've learned . . . .


that the kind of adults my children


are now is directly related to the kind


of children I continually told them


they were.






I've learned . . . .


that everyone you meet deserves to


be greeted with a smile.






I've learned . . . .


that there's nothing sweeter than sleeping


with your babies and feeling their


breath on your cheeks.






I've learned . . . .


that men would rather be lost for hours


than stop and ask for directions.






I've learned . . . .


that no one is perfect until you fall


in love with them.





I've learned . . . .


that life is tough, but I'm tougher.






I've learned . . . .


that opportunities are never lost;


someone will take the ones you miss.






I've learned . . . .


that there is nothing better than my


dog waiting for me on the front porch,


wagging his tail when I get home.






I've learned . . . .


that when you harbor bitterness,


happiness will dock elsewhere.








I've learned . . . .


that I wish I could have told my mom


that I love her one more time before


she passed away.






I've learned . . . .


that it is just as wrong to be rude to a


child as to an adult. In fact, it may


be more unforgivable.






I've learned . . . .


that you should never jump off a diving


board when wearing a bikini.






I've learned . . . .


that one should keep his words both


soft and tender, because tomorrow


he may have to eat them.






I've learned . . . .


that a smile is an inexpensive way to


improve your looks.






I've learned . . . .


that I can't choose how I feel, but I


can choose what I do about it.






I've learned . . . .


that a peacock today may be a feather


duster tomorrow.






I've learned . . . .


that nobody wants to know what you're


doing until you're doing something that


you don't want anyone to know.






I've learned . . . .


that when your newly born grandchild


holds your little finger in his little


fist, that you're hooked for life.






I've learned . . . .


that those who reach their goals too


easily have aimed too low.






I've learned . . . .


that everyone wants to live on top of


the mountain, but all the happiness


and growth occurs while you're climbing it.






I've learned . . . .


that when packing for a vacation, you


should take half as many clothes as you


think you will need and twice as much


money. Your clothes and money should


run out about the same time!






I've learned . . . .


that stain resistant carpet will stain.






I've learned . . . .


that it is best to give advice in only


two circumstances; when it is requested


and when it is a life-threatening


situation.






I've learned . . . .


that a good friend is the one who tells


you how you really look in your jeans.






I've learned . . . .


that the less time I have to work with,


the more things I get done.






I've learned . . . .


that we should be glad God doesn't


give us everything we ask for.