Priorities

So, I have wanted to write a piece/blog about the subject for a while but never sat down to write about it. Until I came across this story* on Nadia Aboulhosn's blog (it basically sums up my entire thoughts):

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.

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. Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take your spouse out to dinner. Take care of the golf balls first—-the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

This describes my thoughts exactly on priorities. We, especially with my generation, have become so entirely lost in social media, what our peers think of us, impressing the wrong people, and so many other redundant things, that we lose sight of what are the most important things in our lives; family, health, friends (that matter), and our life goals. Mostly family though. I remember sitting in my Psych 101 class when my professor said that we treat family the worst than anyone...because we know that they will always love us. I thought that was the saddest thing but knew how true it was in my own life. 

When I got to college, I was really focused on the new life I was going to make for myself. I wanted new friends, understand what resources I had in front of me for my future, and enjoy the college experience. Now, I am an only child, so going away to college too a huge impact on my mom (which I would find out later). She would call and I never was too busy for her-she's my mom! But, I never would call home as much as I could. And as I got further along in my college career, I got heavily involved in a organizations and rarely would call (and now that I think about seemed like I could go for a month). I was so busy with my friends, I had created my own little family there.

It's something I majorly regret and I could tell my mother became upset with me when I didn't. It also impacted even more with my Grandmother-who I would talk to on holidays, special occasions, and when she called me. She recently passed in January and I always think about the times I missed.

I think to myself all the times I've had to call home to talk to the people who I work so hard for, all the hours I've wasted on Facebook or Tumblr, where I could have told all the recent things I've accomplished to my mom, grandma, cousin...it really jumped out at me, where my priorities leid, when I pissed my Aunt Brenda off* from doing something stupid and her saying "You know what? Ya'll don't understand what's important! YA'LL NEED TO SORT OUT YA'LL PRIORITIES!" 

From that moment on, I just thought to myself, of what I did deem important and what I didn't. Who I put first before the other and why. I needed to really get it together...I need to really get things together.

Since then, I've tried call home more, and making sure to take time away, no matter what's due, or what event I have to get to, to always make time for family. These are the most important people. These are the people who matter. These are the people you can count on. You don't have to impress them. You don't have to be anybody other than yourself. They'll love you no matter what! 

P.S. *I tried to Google the source but, came up with a lot of articles saying the "Mayonnaise Jar of Life Lesson" and Life Philosophy and Beer etc.

P.P.S. **I had never pissed my Aunt off before, and never will again! hahaha!

Peace&Love.