R&R

I am still assessing my plans for the future, I am being asked to go on a course in a fortnights time and I have just seen the request for papers from umbrella 2013. I have interviews to do this week and more planned for my own library as well as the info needing gathered for the Slic count this year (early November every year). All in all I have no time to add other things in, but I will finished the audit of my own skills and plan ahead. CPD23 has shown me this if nothing else, you find time to do the things you want and need to, and you can change your mind and do it differently at any time.
I cam across this the other day and it made me sit back and think;

The Mayonnaise Jar and Two Cups of Coffee

When things in your lives seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things--your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions--and 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 golf balls. The same goes for 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 spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first--the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "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 cups of coffee with a friend."

I occasionally am guilty of trying to get more into the Jar than it will take, of worrying about the sand and not the golf balls, or the pebbles. I had a lovely day out last week, just me and a few friends, we ended up in the middle of an other group meeting, but that was okay we met new folks, we had our cups of coffee, knitted and chatted, gossiped and put the world to rights :-) and it left me relaxed and happy. Work is important, I did give it more time than I should over the holiday, but it wasn't my main focus, and I need to remember that. Back to reflective writing and summing up my week to look over the highs and lows and what to improve, and what to celebrate. I have some Christmas things in hand, now I just need an extra month off to organise myself :-).