Rocks and Sand

Rocks and Sand

 

 A Feather on the Beach

It is very hard to believe that this morning the headline.news was that two people had won a share of 60million pounds, on the lottery. That in itself was alright but the fact that they then brought on all sorts of "experts" offering advice on what those two people should do now, the difficulties before them, the pitfalls they might face. How would they spend this money wisely?

I was smiling. I was asked , "What are you smiling at?" I replied it would be no problem. I would give my children a third share . The money left would do the one or two little things I would like to do to my house. I would purchase a nice little shed big enough to paint in and store my equipment. I might buy a little plot to put it on where it is quiet, but probably just in my garden.

The rest, well I know some good causes, and I would leave some for any future unforeseen matters. It would not change my day to day life at all, of that I would make certain. 

I was reminded of the story of the, Rocks and the Sand.

A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him. When class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, rocks about 2" in diameter.

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, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The students laughed. The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

"Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognise that this is your life. The rocks are the important things - your family, your partner, your health, your children - anything that is so important to you that if it were lost, you would be nearly destroyed.

"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, there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your energy and time 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.Enjoy being with your children, and your friends. Take time to get medical checkups. Go walking with your friends, walking is a lovely time to share. There will always be time to go to work, clean clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the the things that need fixing.

Put simply it is all about getting the priorities right and the rest will take care of itself.

Today I have put on one of my early original paintings of things found on the beach. Done in watercolour it seemed to fit with my theme and my thinking this morning.