Take care of the things that really matter

[Guest lurkerspeaks]

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day

are not enough, remember the golf balls and two 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 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 open spaces between the golf

balls. He then asked 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 everywhere else. He asked once more if the jar was

full. The students responded with a 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 lover, your health,

your friends, and your favorite 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, 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 golf balls or pebbles. 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. Keep in touch.

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 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”.

[Lucky]

Of course, alcoholics in recovery might disagree, and the families of those who cannot control their drinking might want to string this professor from the a rope.

The rest of you, however, should pay heed.

[RA1]

I once read an article in which the author postulated that if one only drank wine there would be no alcoholics. He did not say there would be no abuse of alcohol. He also offered no "scientific" proof or study to back his claim but did go on at length about the beneficial effects of wine. His point seemed to be that somehow the "gene" that "allowed for" alcoholism was not "set off" by wine. Interesting but not necessarily conclusive.

I have read the golf ball analogy before. It is difficult to remember your job is to drain the swamp when you are up to your ass in alligators.

Best regards,

RA1