Thought for the Day

Lesson on Life

A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a "VERY LARGE" and empty mayonnaise jar. He proceeded to fill it with rocks, which were about 2" in diameter. He filled the jar to the top!He then asked the students if the jar was full. They said, "Yes."

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. They rolled into place, all around the rocks. He shook the jar lightly. This allowed him to pour more pebbles in, until they were up to the top of the jar. He again asked the students if the jar was full. They said, "Yes."

The professor then picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled the spaces between the pebbles. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students wondered what the right answer was this time, wondering what else could be poured into the jar.

The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and proceeded to pour their entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty spaces in the sand.

The students mumbled. "Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The ROCKS are the important things - your family, your partner, your health, and your children. 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 rocks!

"The same goes for your life. If you spend all of 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 dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal."

"Take care of the rocks first... the things that really matter...then the pebbles. Set your riorities. The rest is just sand (the little stuff)!"

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented. The professor smiled and said, "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 beers."

Anecdote from Swami Vivekananda

A nice anecdote from Swami Vivekananda ...

I once had a friend who grew to be very close to me. Once when we were sitting at the edge of a swimming pool, she filled the palm of her hand with a little water and held it before me, and said this: "You see this water carefully contained on my hand? It symbolizes Love." This was how I saw it: "As long as you keep your hand caringly open and allow it to remain there, it will always be there. However, if you attempt to close your fingers round it and try to posses it, it will spill through the first cracks it finds. This is the greatest mistake that people do when they meet love...they try to posses it, they demand, they expect.. and just like the water spilling out of your hand, Love will retrieve from you. For love is meant to be free, you cannot change its nature. If there are people you love, allow them to be free beings.
Give and don't expect.
Advise, but don't order.
Ask, but never demand.
It might sound simple, but it is a lesson that may take a lifetime to truly practice.It is the secret to true love. To truly practice it, you must sincerely feel no expectations from those who you love, and yet an unconditional caring."
Passing thought... Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away.

Bringing the Best