Posted by shelliR on July 18, 2001, at 0:21:57
In reply to Rocks ..., posted by Willow on July 17, 2001, at 22:03:36
> ?Subject: Rocks: A meaning for life
>
> A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him. When the class
> began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty glass jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks - rocks
> about 2" in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full? They agreed that it was.
> So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar
> lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open area between the rocks. He then asked the
> students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
> The students laughed. The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course,
> the sand filled up everything else.
> "Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this is your life. The rocks are the
> important things - your family, your partner, your health, 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, your car. The sand is everything else. The small stuff."
> "If you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes
> for your 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 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. Set your priorities. The rest is just
> sand."I think that what was quoted was very beautiful, but only mostly true. There is the saying that when someone is about to die, they never say I wish I would have worked more, (i.e.,rather than spent time with family). But work is not small stuff for me--not a pebble. I agree that it is only part of life. But remember what "work" can create in the largest sense. It can create incredible novels, wonderful paintings, medical advancements, civil liberties. In the smaller sense, my house gets heated, there is food for me to buy and people to buy it from, my mail gets delivered (and yes, I notice when my mailman has a day off), my therapist comes to her job and helps me with my life. Etc.
Maybe I am getting a bit carried away here, but I put so much of me into my work. So I wanted to say in the best of circumstances, and if one chooses it to be, work can also be a rock
Shelli
p.s. Hi K (Mair). I missed your presence on the board lately.
poster:shelliR
thread:7503
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20010717/msgs/7581.html