Pebbles

Last week we found out that our house has subsidence. Hmmmmm.....bit of a strange one to blog about I can imagine you thinking......but as Robbie hasn't called since he proposed to his girlfriend and Barack seems rather busy every time I call nowadays, it kind of stood out in the day to day running of things....

My husband and I sat there mortified when the assessor told us about the £1000 excess on Subsidence claims and I cried when he told me we would have to take down our beautiful Willow tree (the one the children climb, my husband tries to climb and all the birds and squirrels live in !) He left (looking a little bemused by my strange reaction to being told that a tree would have to come down)and we both did the whole 'oh my God how on earth are we going to find a spare £1000 before Christmas' thing.

Sitting down later, having talked to a rather wise friend of mine, I suddenly remembered a story that I used to tell on one of my training courses. It kind of put things into perspective:



A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a large empty glass jar and proceeded to fill it up 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 slightly and 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 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, and your children – 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, and your car. The sand is everything else. The small stuff. If you put the sand in first, there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have time 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 check ups. Take your partner out dancing. The will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party, and clean the car. Take care of the rocks first – the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

and so.......I am trying to think about the big rocks, my family, my friends, my passion for helping other people achieve their full potential - hell, its only a house !! Anyone got a few spare rooms ?!