Category: Stories

Professoren og syltetøjsglasset

Når tingene i dit liv virker næsten uoverkommelige; når 24 timer pr. dag ikke er nok, så husk syltetøjsglasset og kaffen… 

En professor stod foran sit filosofihold med nogle ting foran sig. 

Da timen begyndte, tog han, uden at sige et ord, et meget stort og tomt syltetøjsglas frem og begyndte at fylde det med golfbolde. 

Da han havde gjort det, spurgte han sin klasse om glasset var fyldt og de var enige om, at det var det. 

Så tog professoren en kasse med småsten frem, og begyndte at hælde dem ned i glasset. Han rystede glasset let, så småstenene fordelte sig imellem golfboldene. 

Derefter spurgte han igen holdet om glasset var fyldt og det mente hans klasse nok, at det var. 

Herefter tog professoren en kasse med sand frem og begyndte at hælde det op i glasset. Sandet fyldte naturligvis de resterende hulrum i glasset. 

Igen spurgte han om det var fyldt. Klassen svarede enstemmigt “ja” og derefter lavede professoren to kopper kaffe og hældte dem begge ned i glasset, hvilket effektivt fyldte de hulrum der var imellem sandkornene. Studenterne grinede… 

“Nuvel” sagde professoren, da latteren var stilnet af. 

“Hvis I nu forestiller jer, at dette glas repræsenterer jeres liv. 

Golfboldene er de vigtige ting – jeres familie, kærester, børn, helbred, venner og yndlingspassioner – De ting som selv hvis alle andre ting gik tabt, og kun disse ting var tilbage, stadig ville gøre jeres liv fuldendt. 

Småstenene er de andre ting, der betyder noget – såsom job, hus, bil osv. 

Sandet er alle de andre småting”. 

Professoren fortsatte: “Hvis I putter sandet ned i glasset først, er der ikke plads til hverken småstenene eller golfboldene. 

Det samme gælder i livet. Hvis I bruger al jeres energi og tid på de små ubetydelige ting, får I aldrig plads til de ting, der er vigtige for jer. 

Vær opmærksom på de ting, der er kritiske for jeres lykke. 

Leg med jeres børn. Pas på jeres helbred. Inviter jeres partner på middag. Tag endnu en runde på golfbanen. Der vil altid være tid til at gøre huset rent og ordne afløbene. 

Tag jer af golfboldene først – de ting der virkelig betyder noget. Få styr på prioriteterne – resten er bare sand 

En af de studerende rakte sin hånd i vejret og spurgte hvad kaffen repræsenterede. 

Professoren smilede: “Jeg er glad for at du spørger.” 

“Det er blot for at vise, at lige meget hvor fyldt dit liv synes at være, så er der altid plads til et par kopper kaffe sammen med en ven”

Historien om Michael

Michael var den type, som man elsker at hade.
Han var altid i godt humør og havde altid noget positivt at sige.
Når nogen spurgte ham, hvordan han havde det, svarede han: ‘Hvis jeg havde det bedre, ville jeg ha’ været tvillinger.’
Han var en naturlig inspirator.
Hvis en af de ansatte havde en dårlig dag, var Michael der og fortalte den ansatte, hvordan man kunne se det positive i situationen.
Jeg blev nysgerrig og en dag spurgte jeg ham: ‘Hvordan gør du det?’
Michael svarede: ‘Hver morgen vågner jeg og siger til mig selv: Du har to valgmuligheder i dag. Du kan vælge at være i godt humør eller du kan vælge at være i dårligt humør. Jeg vælger at være i godt humør. Hver gang, der sker noget slemt, kan jeg vælge at være et offer eller jeg kan vælge at lære af det. Jeg vælger at lære. Hver gang nogen kommer til mig og klager, kan jeg vælge at acceptere deres klager eller jeg kan vælge at pege på de positive sider i livet. Jeg vælger de positive sider i livet.’ ‘Det er alt sammen meget godt, men det er jo ikke helt så enkelt’, protesterede jeg. ‘Det er det,’ sagde Michael. ‘Livet handler om valg. Når man skærer alt det overflødige væk, så er enhver situation et valg. Du vælger, hvordan du skal reagere på situationerne. Du vælger, hvordan folk skal påvirke dit humør. Det er dig, som vælger, om du vil være i godt eller dårligt humør. Til syvende og sidst er det dit valg, hvordan du lever dit liv.’
Jeg tænkte over, hvad Michael havde sagt. Et stykke tid efter forlod jeg firmaet for at begynde for mig selv. Vi mistede kontakten, men jeg tænkte ofte på ham, når jeg foretog et valg i forhold til livet – i stedet for bare at reagere på det.
Mange år senere hørte jeg, at Michael var indblandet i en alvorlig ulykke med et fald på 20 meter fra en radiomast.
Efter 18 timers operation og ugevis på intensiv afdeling, blev Michael udskrevet fra sygehuset med skinner langs ryggen.
Jeg mødte Michael omtrent seks uger efter ulykken. Da jeg spurgte ham, hvordan han havde det, svarede han: ‘Hvis jeg havde det bedre, måtte jeg være tvillinger. Vil du se arene?’
Jeg spurgte ham, hvad han tænkte under ulykken. ‘Det første, jeg tænkte på, var, hvordan det skulle gå min endnu ufødte datter, svarede Michael. ‘Og mens jeg lå på båren, huskede jeg, at jeg havde to valg. Jeg kunne vælge at leve eller jeg kunne vælge at dø. Jeg valgte at leve.’
‘Var du ikke bange? Mistede du bevidstheden?’, spurgte jeg.
Michael fortsatte: ‘Ambulancefolkene var fantastiske. De sagde hele tiden, at alt nok skulle gå godt. Men da de rullede mig ind på skadestuen og jeg så lægernes og sygeplejerskernes ansigtsudtryk, blev jeg meget bange. I deres øjne stod skrevet: ‘Han er dødsens!’
Jeg vidste, at jeg måtte gøre noget.’ ‘Hvad gjorde du så?’ spurgte jeg.
‘Der var en stor brovtende sygeplejer, som råbte spørgsmål til mig,’ sagde Michael. ‘Hun spurgte mig, om jeg var allergisk over for noget. ‘Ja’, svarede jeg.
Lægerne og sygeplejerne stoppede op, mens de ventede på mit svar og jeg trak vejret dybt ind og råbte: ‘Tyngdekraften!’
Og mens de lo, sagde jeg til dem: ‘Jeg vælger at leve. Operer mig, som om jeg er levende, ikke død.’
Michael overlevede takket være lægernes dygtighed, men også på grund af sin fantastiske holdning.
Af ham lærte jeg, at jeg hver dag kan vælge at leve helt.
Holdning er – trods alt – alt.
Derfor skal du ikke bekymre dig om morgendagen, for morgendagen vil bekymre sig om sig selv.
Hver dag har nok i sin egen udfordring og egentlig er dagen i dag den samme morgendag, som du var bekymret for i går.

Livets bank

Tænk dig en bank som hver morgen sætter 86400 kr. ind på din bankkonto, 
og hver aften tager den pengene tilbage, som du ikke brugte. 
Hva’ ville du gøre med pengene ? Selvfølgelig bruge så mange som muligt ! 
Nu er det sådan at du faktisk har sådan en bank, den kaldes Tiden. 
Hver morgen får du 86400 sekunder, hver aften er tiden sløset bort. For altid. Der findes ingen mulighed for kredit. 
Der findes ingen mulighed for at gemme til fremtiden. Brug derfor din tid så klogt som muligt. 
LEV LIVET

The taxi ride

Twenty years ago, I drove a cab for a living. One time I arrived in the middle of the night for a pick up at a building that was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window.

Under these circumstances, many drivers would just honk once or twice, wait a minute, then drive away. But I had seen too many impoverished people who depended on taxis as their only means of transportation. Unless a situation smelled of danger, I always went to the door. This passenger might be someone who needs my assistance, I reasoned to myself. So I walked to the door and knocked.

“Just a minute,” answered a frail, elderly voice.

I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 80’s stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940s movie. By her side was a small nylon suitcase.

The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.

“Would you carry my bag out to the car?” she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness.

“It’s nothing,” I told her. “I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated.”

“Oh, you’re such a good boy,” she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, then asked, “Could you drive through downtown?”

“It’s not the shortest way,” I answered quickly.

“Oh, I don’t mind,” she said. “I’m in no hurry. I’m on my way to a hospice.”

I looked in the rear view mirror. Her eyes were glistening.

“I don’t have any family left,” she continued. “The doctor says I don’t have very long.”

I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. “What route would you like me to take?” I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.

Sometimes she’d ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, “I’m tired. Let’s go now.”

We drove in silence to the address she had given me.

It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her. I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

“How much do I owe you?” she asked, reaching into her purse.

“Nothing,” I said.

“You have to make a living,” she answered.

“There are other passengers.”

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly.

“You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,” she said. “Thank you.”

I squeezed her hand, then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.

I didn’t pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly, lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?

On a quick review, I don’t think that I have done anything more important in my life. We’re conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware—beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

The professor and the jar

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 an unanimous “yes.”

The professor then produced two cups of coffee 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. 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 time to get medical checkups. Take your  spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. 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 coffee represented. The professor smiled. “I’m glad you asked.

It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.”