A dear friend of mine shared a story with me that made my day today! It made me think of all the relationships we have and how it is important to nurture and encourage those relationships to grow. Just like your garden (and your business!) your relationships need nourishment and attention. We’ve all heard that you will receive in abundance what you give (or something similar).
What better time to reach out to those people in your life than Valentine’s Day! It’s not just for lovers!
Remember when you were in grade school and you brought dozens of valentines to put in each of your classmate’s boxes? Why did we stop that? What a wonderful tradition! (you were smiling at the thought, weren’t you!) Wouldn’t you love to receive a little note of appreciation, acknowledgment, reminder that you have friends that are there for you? So do it! Take action!
I’m going to send virtual valentines (#Valentine) this year. I want all of my people to know that they play an important role in my life. I encourage you to do the same. You may be surprised at the result. At the very least, you will have made someone smile!
Here is the story that started me thinking…I’m sure it’s been sent around and around and I don’t know the original author so I hope that person doesn’t mind me sharing this:
Mayonnaise Jar and Two Beers
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 2 Beers.
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 a unanimous ‘yes.’
The professor then produced two Beers 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. 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 beer represented.
The professor smiled and said, ‘I’m glad you asked.’ The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of Beers with a friend.
Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…it’s learning how to dance in the rain!!
