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You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called Life. Each day in this school you will have the opportunity to learn lessons. There is no part of life that does not contain its lessons. If you are alive, there are lessons to be learned... 
Philosophy
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front
of him. When the class began, he silently 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.
So 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 cans of beer 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,
your favorite passions-- 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," 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 partner 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 asked what the beer 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
beers." | | | |
I've learned ...
That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person;
That when you're in love, it shows;
That just one person saying to me, "You've made my day!" makes my day;
That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world;
That being kind is more important than being right;
That you should never say no to a gift from a child;
That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way;
That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with;
That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand;
That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult;
That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes;
That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for;
That money doesn't buy class;
That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular;
That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved;
That the Lord didn't do it all in one day. What makes me think I can?;
That to ignore the facts does not change the facts;
That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continues to hurt you;
That love, not time, heals all wounds;
That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am;
That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile;
That there's nothing sweeter than sleeping with your babies and feeling their breath on your cheeks;
That no one is perfect until you fall in love with him or her;
That life is tough, but I'm tougher;
That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss;
That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere;
That I wish I could have told my Dad that I love him one more time before he passed away;
That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them;
That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks;
That I can't choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it;
That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life;
That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it;
That it is best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it is requested and when it is a life threatening situation;
That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.
These are written by Andy Rooney, a man who has the gift of saying so much with so few words.
A Friend is...
Accepts you as you are;
Believes in "you";
Calls you just to say "HI";
Doesn't give up on you;
Envisions the whole of you (even the unfinished parts);
Forgives your mistakes;
Gives unconditionally;
Helps you;
Invites you over;
Just "be" with you;
Keeps you close at heart;
Loves you for who you are;
Makes a difference in your life;
Never Judges;
Offer support;
Picks you up;
Quiets your fears;
Raises your spirits;
Says nice things about you;
Tells you the truth when you need to hear it;
Understands you;
Values you;
Walks beside you;
X-plains thing you don't understand;
Yells when you won't listen and
Zaps you back to reality.
How Heavy Is the Water?
A lecturer was giving a lecture to his student on stress management. He raised a glass of water and asked the audience, "How heavy do you think this glass of water is?
The students' answers ranged from 20g to 500gm.
"It does not matter on the absolute weight. It depends on how long you hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it is Ok. If I hold it for an hour, I will have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you will have to call an ambulance. It is the exact same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."
"If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, we will not be able to carry on, the burden becoming increasingly heavier. What you have to do is to put the glass down, rest for a while before holding it up again."
Morale: We have to put down the burden periodically, so that we can be refreshed and are able to carry on. When you return home from work, put the burden of work down.
Don't carry it into your home.
You can pick it up tomorrow.
Rest and relax.
Thoughts
Something we all need to think about
Do not undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others.
It is because we are different that each of us is special.
Do not set your goals by what other people seem important.
Only you know what is best for you.
Do not take for granted the things closest to your heart.
Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.
Do not let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past nor for the future.
By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.
Do not give up when you still have something to give.
Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
It is a fragile thread that binds us to each other.
Do not be afraid to encounter risks.
It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.
Do not shut love out of your life by saying it is impossible to find.
The quickest way to receive love is to give love;
The fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly.
Do not dismiss your dreams.
To be without dreams is to be without hope;
To be without hope is to be without purpose.
Do not run through life so fast that you forget not only where you have been,
but also where you are going.
Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way.
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