~ Home

Lifeguard on life.

A theme that is becoming a more and more common thread with everyone.

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 Hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar........and the beer.

The Whangarei Heads Surf Club Patrol Captain stood before his Rookie group First Aid class and had some items in front of him.
When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the Rookies if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the PC 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 Rookies again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The PC 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 Rookies responded with a unanimous "yes."

The PC 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 Rookies laughed.

"Now," said the PC, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to
recognise that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the
important things -- your family, your children, your health, your friends, your favourite passions, God -- 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 mobile phone, 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 at the beach with your friends. Take time to get medical check-ups. Take your boyfriend/girlfriend out to dinner. Get bounced around in the Ocean Beach surf. There will always be time to clean your bedroom, and text your friends. Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the Rookies raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented.
The PC smiled. "I'm glad you asked," he said. "It just goes to show
you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers."