Priorities in Life
In life's vibrant tapestry, choosing the right priorities is like composing a masterpiece. Consider your goals as notes in a melody, each contributing to the harmony of your unique symphony. Family, friends, and personal growth? They're the baseline, the foundation.
Your passions and dreams? They're the soaring crescendos, the highlights. Don't be afraid to fine-tune, adjusting the volume of each element. Remember, it's your composition, and you're the virtuoso.
Some of the best lessons come from our teachers, the following is a story I have written about before but I think it’s important to tell it again.
It was early Monday morning, the students were excited about sharing what they had done over the weekend and as the teacher walked into the classroom, the laughter and noise was infectious. But the students turned to look to her as she said, “Good morning everyone, today’s lesson is about priorities and I want to demonstrate this to you”.
She pulled out a big empty class jar and three containers; one held rocks, one pebbles and the other sand. She also pulled out 2 cans of beer. She started to place rocks into the jar until no more would fit. “Is the jar full?” she asked the class. The class agreed that it was.
The teacher then took the pebbles and started to drop them into the jar, so that they fell into the spaces between the rocks. She continued to do this until no more pebbles would fit. “Is the jar full now?” she asked. “Yes, called out the class in unison.
She now took the sand. The class laughed as they knew what was happening. She filled the remaining spaces in the jar with the sand. “Surely the jar is full now” she pleaded with the class. “YES”. “And now the lesson” she began. “Imagine this jar is your life and you can fill it with whatever you want.
The rocks represent everything that is most important to you, your partner, your health, your family, and friends. If all you had were these things, your life would be fulfilled.
The 49 pebbles represent other significant things such as your house, your car, your job etc. The sand is all the little things”. “What would happen if you put the sand and pebbles in first? You would have no time for the most important things” “It is vital that you put the rocks in first, all the other things will fit in around those”.
At this point she asked a student to come up to the front of the class and pour one of the cans of beer into the jar. The beer filled all the spaces between the rocks, pebbles, and sand. The student then said, “so what about the other beer?” The teacher replied, “Remember that It doesn’t matter how busy your life is, there is always room for a beer and one to share with a friend!”
So today after reading this sit down contemplate:
What are your rocks? What are your pebbles? What is your sand? But most importantly do you have time for a beer with a friend?
So, rock those priorities, and let the music of your life resonate with joy and fulfillment!