It seems like yesterday that Jim King passed the editor torch to me. It's been a great year and a half as editor! But, the time has come to pass the torch over to Dara Ballow-Giffen. Dara has assumed the role of editor and the future looks bright! The newsletter is in good hands. Being a newsletter editor requires hard work, responsibility, and accountability. Dara is completely capable and very enthusiastic and I know she'll do a great job! We are very fortunate that she stepped up for the editor position. Thanks Dara!
I would like to share with everyone a story that I heard a while back .... a teacher's lesson using a jar and some golf balls .... this is a very important lesson!
The teacher cleared off his desk and placed on top a few items. One of the items was an empty glass jar. He proceeded to fill up the jar with golf balls until he could fit no more. He looked at the classroom and asked his students if they agree that the jar is full. Every student agreed that the jar was indeed full. The teacher then picked up a box of small pebbles and poured them into the jar with the golf balls. The pebbles filled all of the openings in between the golf balls. He asked the students if the jar was full. Once again, they agreed. Now, the teacher picked up a bag of sand and poured it into the jar. The sand filled in all of the empty space left between the golf balls and pebbles. He asked the class again if the jar was full. The students agreed it was technically full. Finally, the teacher pulled out 2 beers from under his desk and poured both of them into the jar filling the empty space between the sand. Now the students began laughing and wondering how far this was going. The teacher waited until the laughter stopped. I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life, The golf balls represent the important things. Your family, children, health, friends, and passions. If everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles represent the other things in life that matter, such as your hobbies, job, and house. The sand--- that is everything else. The small stuff. Because, if you put the sand in first, there is no room for the pebbles or golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all of your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are most important. Pay attention to the important things in your life. Enjoy time with family. Go out to dinner, play games with your kids, etc. There will ALWAYS be time to clean the house. So folks, take care of your "golf balls" first--- the things that really matter. The rest is just sand. You are now dismissed. But, before the students left, one shouted out. You never mentioned what the 2 beers represent! The teacher smiled and said, I'm glad you asked. The 2 beers shows you that no matter how full your life is, you should always have room in your life to to have a beer with a friend.
What a great life lesson! I especially like the time for a couple of beers, being a home-brewer myself for over 20 years now, there's never a problem with making the time to have a beer with a friend. The MCBA newsletter was an important pebble in my life, and was a wonderful opportunity for me! But it is time to focus on some other pebbles as well as my golf balls… or, as I know them, my goof balls. As always, thanks to everyone who contributed to the newsletter! We've had some great contributions indeed! Speaking of which, please try to contribute to the newsletter, write your story, take some photos and send it in! Your story will not go unappreciated! I look forward to continuing as an MCBA member and trying to make the monthly meetings .... OK so, yeah, I rarely make it to the meetings, but, I feel like I'm there in spirit! I hope to see some of you at the holiday party in December and maybe even have a beer with my MCBA friends.
Lastly, I can't resist, a quote by Helen Keller "I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble."
-FrankieBEE