For all you Tolkien geeks out there (yes, I include myself in that list), today is the birthday of both Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, the hobbits that started it all. They both took that first step into something larger than themselves, and prevailed. Let’s hear it for the hobbits! 🙂
And today, in just a few minutes really, the autumnal equinox begins. aka the first day of Fall! Which seems amazing to me, since it absolutely can’t be the end of summer already, but the weather is changing (evening temps go down in the 50s) so I guess I can accept it. Weird though, to think it’s another season. Well, happy Fall everyone 🙂
My friend Meg sent this out to me, and you’ll see it at my LJ too. It’s a nice little forward about priorities in life. It’s kinda long though, so…

Live life to the fullest and be happy!!!!
__________________
THE MAYONNAISE JAR AND COFFEE
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 coffee .
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front
of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he 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.
So 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 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-God, family, your children, your health, your friends, and
your favorite passions/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 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. Pay attention to the things that are
critical to your happiness.. Play with your children. Take time to get
medical checkups. Take your wife/husband/kids out to dinner. Maybe even
play another 18. There’s always 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.”
But what if you don’t like coffee? lol.