A Meaningful And Motivational Story

[danah]

The Important Things In Life :

A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items on the table in front of him.

When the class began, without a word, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks,
about 2 inches 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 professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.

Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

He then asked once more if the jar was full.

The students responded with a unanimous “Yes.â€

“Now,†said the professor, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The rocks are the important things – your family, your partner, your health, 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, your car.

The sand is everything else. The small stuff.â€

“If you put the sand into the jar first,†he continued “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 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 your partner out dancing.

There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal.

Take care of the rocks first – the things that really matter.

Set your priorities.

The rest is just sand.â€

 

[danah]

Face Difficulties Positively :

This parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule.

The mule fell into the farmer’s well.

The farmer heard the mule praying or whatever mules do when they fall into wells.

After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving.

Instead, he called his neighbors together, told them what had happened, and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and
put him out of his misery.

Initially the old mule was hysterical!

But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back, a thought struck him.

It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back, HE WOULD SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP!

This he did, blow after blow.

“Shake it off and step up… shake it off and step up…shake it off and step up!â€

He repeated to encourage himself.

No matter how painful the blows, or how distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought panic and just kept right on SHAKING
IT OFF AND STEPPING UP!

It wasn’t long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well!

What seemed like it would bury him actually helped him . . . all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.

THAT’S LIFE!

If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity.

 

[danah]

Learn To Practice Self Control :

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper.

His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the fence.

The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence.

Over the next few weeks as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily, gradually dwindled down.

He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all.

He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence.

He said : “you have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence.
The fence will never be the same.
When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one.â€

You can put a knife in a man and draw it out.

It won’t matter how many times you say I’m sorry, the wound is still there.

Make sure you control your temper the next time you are tempted to say something or you will regret it later.

 

[danah]

Why Me, Mom?

I went to a party, Mom, I remembered what you said.

You told me not to drink, Mom, so I drank soda instead.

I really felt proud inside, Mom, the way you said I would.

I didn't drink and drive, Mom, even though the others said I should.

I know I did the right thing, Mom, I know you are always right.

Now the party is finally ending, Mom, as everyone is driving out of sight.

As I got into my car, Mom, I knew I'd get home in one piece.

Because of the way you raised me, so responsible and sweet.

I started to drive away, Mom, but as I pulled out into the road, the other car didn't see me, Mom, and hit me like a load.

As I lay there on the pavement, Mom, I hear the policeman say, the other guy is drunk.

Mom, and now I'm the one who will pay.

I'm lying here dying, Mom..

I wish you'd get here soon.

How could this happen to me, Mom?

My life just burst like a balloon.

There is blood all around me, Mom, and most of it is mine.

I hear the medic say, Mom, I'll die in a short time.

I just wanted to tell you, Mom, I swear I didn't drink.

It was the others, Mom.

The others didn't think.

He was probably at the same party as I.

The only difference is, he drank and I will die.

Why do people drink, Mom?

It can ruin your whole life.

I'm feeling sharp pains now.

Pains just like a knife.

The guy who hit me is walking, Mom, and I don't think it's fair.

I'm lying here dying and all he can do is stare.

Tell my brother not to cry, Mom.

Tell Daddy to be brave.

And when I go to heaven, Mom, put "Daddy's Girl" on my grave.

Someone should have told him, Mom, not to drink and drive.

If only they had told him, Mom, I would still be alive.

My breath is getting shorter, Mom.

I'm becoming very scared.

Please don't cry for me, Mom.

When I needed you, you were always there.

I have one last question, Mom, before I say good bye.

I didn't drink and drive, so why am I the one to die?

 

[danah]

A Sad Story :

Sally jumped up as soon as she saw the Surgeon come out of the operating room.

She said: "How is my little boy?
Is he going to be O.K.? When can I see him?"

The Surgeon said, "I'm sorry, we did all we could."

Sally said, "Why do little children get cancer, doesn't GOD care any more?
GOD, where were you when my son needed you?"

The Surgeon said, "One of the nurses will be out in a few minutes to let you spend time with your son's remains before it's transported to the university".

Sally asked that the nurse stay with her while she said Good-bye to her son.

Sally ran her fingers through his thick red curly hair.

The nurse said, "Would you like a lock of his hair?"

Sally nodded yes.

The nurse cut a lock of his hair and put it in a plastic bag and handed it to Sally.

Sally said, "It was Jimmy's idea to give his body to the university for study.

He said it might help somebody else," and that is what he wanted.

I said, No at first, but Jimmy said, "Mom I won't be using it after I die, maybe it will help some other little boy to be able to spend one more day with his mother".

Sally said, "My Jimmy had a heart of Gold, always thinking of someone else and always wanting to help others if he could".

Sally walked out of the Children's Hospital for the last time now after spending most of the last 6 months there.

She sat the bag with Jimmy's things in it on the seat beside of her in the car.

The drive home was hard and it was even harder to go into an empty house.

She took the bag to Jimmy's room and started placing the model cars and things back in his room exactly where he always kept them.

She laid down across his bed and cried herself to sleep holding his pillow.

Sally woke up about midnight and laying beside of her on the bed, was a letter folded up.

She opened the letter, it said:

Dear Mom,

I know you're going to miss me, but don't think that I will ever forget you or stop loving you because I'm not around to say I LOVE YOU.

I'll think of you every day mom and I'll love you even more each day.

Some day we will see each other again.

If you want to adopt a little boy so you won't be so lonely, he can have my room and my old stuff to play with.

If you decide to get a girl instead, she probably wouldn't like the same things as us boys do, so you will have to buy her dolls and stuff girls like.

Don't be sad when you think about me, this is really a great place.

Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me around some, but it will take a long time to see everything here.

The angels are so friendly, I love to watch them fly.

Jesus doesn't look like any of the pictures I saw of Him, but I knew it was Him as soon as I saw Him.

Jesus took me to see GOD!

And guess what mom?
I got to sit on GOD'S knee and talk to Him like I was somebody important.

I told GOD that I wanted to write you a letter and tell you Good-bye and everything, but I knew that wasn't allowed.

God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to write you this letter with.

I think Gabriel is the name of the angel that is going to drop this letter off to you.

God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you asked Him about.

Where was He when I needed him?

God said, "The same place He was when Jesus was on the cross.
He was right there, as He always is with all His children.

Oh, by the way Mom, nobody else can see what is written on this paper but you.

To everyone else, it looks like a blank piece of paper.

I have to give God His pen back now, he has some more names to write in the Book Of Life.

Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for Supper.

I'm sure the food will be great.

I almost forgot to let you know - Now I don't hurt anymore, the cancer is all gone.

I'm glad because I couldn't stand that pain anymore and God couldn't stand to see me suffer the pain either, so He sent The Angel of Mercy to get me.

The Angel said I was Special Delivery!


Signed with love from:

God & Jesus & Me.

 

[hopelessromantic]

very inspiring!
love it!

 

[marshyooshy]

nice stories!

 

[jaelepaz]

the important things in life.. good reminder to prioritise!