Golf Balls Count

Recalled from an old email many moons ago, but relevent for me today.

On the first day of term, a university professor stood in front of his philosophy class with an empty jar.

Without saying a word to his students, he removed the lid of the jar and filled it with golf balls. He then asked his class, “Would you say that the jar is now full? ” His students concluded that the jar was indeed full.

The professor inserted marbles into the jar filling the gaps asking once again if the jar was now full. The class again concluded that it was indeed full.

The professor poured in sand, filling the gaps between both golf balls and marbles. He asked again if the jar was full. His class responded in unison, “Yes, now it is full !”

The professor finally emptied two small cups of coffee into the jar, the liquid completely filling the gap between the golf balls, the marbles, and the grains of sand.

“Life is very much like this jar. The golf balls represent the important things in life, like God, family, loved ones, health, things that you care intimately about. If we lost everything else in life, our lives would still be ‘full’. The marbles are the other things in our lives that are important, but our happiness shouldn’t depend on them. Things like our work, our house, our car, etc. Finally, the sand represents everything else; the small stuff.

“If we were to have filled our jar up with sand first, there we wouldn’t have had enough room for the marbles or the golf balls. If we use all our life and energy on the small stuff, we won’t have any room for the important things.”

A student asked, “Professor, what does the coffee represent?”

"No matter how full your life is, there is always room for a cup of coffee with a friend.” replied the professor.
I've been playing around with 5 Card story and created "Asperger Awakening" because sometimes it's good to have a different perspective and have the time to be a solitary node on life's pathway.

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Five Card Story: asperger awakening

a Five Card Flickr story created by Pandora

flickr photo by bionicteaching
It's often easier to be part of a crowd, to feel accepted and connected, but it is frequently during the silent moments of renewal when I rise above the temptation to seek approval or affirmation that I feel most at peace and least alone.  


flickr photo by bionicteaching
The yearning to find one's own truth can dominate life, pushing trivial and distracting elements to the background, thereby providing a greater clarity and sense of purpose. Release is provided by beauty and the presence of kindred spirits now so readily apparent, yet remaining invisible to others.
 

flickr photo by hummingcrow
There are always choices to be made, and the path frequently appears steep and divided, with the skeletons of betrayals and abandoned dreams and ideals littered along the way. But with the choices come decisions, and all that can be seen are opportunities, not hurdles.

flickr photo by cogdogblog
Sometimes balance seems impossible, surrounded by demands, distractions and expectations. But there is strength to silence the whispering doubts and to unearth the 'soul peace' that comes with knowing that the path is ultimately of one's choosing. 

flickr photo by Serenae

And at the end of the day, the sense of invigoration provided from marching to the sound of a different drummer sates the senses and provides sustenance. Consensus is never so sweet.

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