The above two are taken during the last Dongzhi celebration. It has a wonderful bouncy texture hopefully justifed by the photo. More importantly, our families gathered to enjoy the hand-rolled Tang Yuans!
Today I am going to talk about Precious Stones by Ajahn Brahm. Pardon me for quoting them frequently, oh well blame it on American Idol. Hee - thats my in-between advertisement time activity. I read a book - some stories I can't help but wana share.
At a famous U.S. business school some years ago, a professor delivered an extraordinary lecture on social economics to his graduating class. Without explaining what he was doing, the professor carefully placed a glass jar on his desk. Then, in view of his students, he brought out a bag full of stones and placed them one by one in the jar, until no more would go in. He asked his students, "Is the jar full?"
"Yes," they replied.
The professor smiled. From beneath the desk, the professor produced a second bag, this one full of gravel. He then managed to shake the smaller stones into the spaces between the bigger stones in the jar. A second time, he asked his students, "Is the jar full?"
"No," they answered. They were on to him by now.
They were correct, of course, for the professor produced a bag of fine sand. He managed to coax much of the sand into the spaces between the stones and the gravel within the jar. Again he asked, "Is the jar full?"
"Probably not, Professor, knowing you," the students replied.
Smiling at their answer, the professor brought out a small jug of water, which he poured into the jar full of stones, gravel and sand. When no more water would fit in the jar, he put down the jug and looked at his class.
"So, what does this teach you?" he asked his students.
"That no matter how busy your schedule," offered one of the students, "you can always fit something more in!" It was a famous business school, after all.
"No!" thundered the professor emphatically. "What it shows is that if you want to get the big stones in, you have to put them in first."
It was a lesson in priorities.
So what are the "big stones" in your "jar"? What is most important to fit into your life? Please ensure that you schedule in the "precious stones" first, or you'll never get around to them, to fit them into your day.
2 comments:
I think I read this somewhere before :) But well said. Have to prioritize.
Yeap! and everyone needs a good reminder from time to time... its so easy to get caught up in the daily routine schedule that we tend to forget whats more important to each individual! =)
Post a Comment