We all need to find the time to do so many thing with our great hobby. I for
one seem to always be falling behind. Mailing, doing lists, trading,
consignments, orders, packing shells, sorting, grading,measuring, etc. A
friend just sent me the following.I share it with you and hope some of you
get some value from the message.

~~~~~
One day an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business
students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will
never forget.  As he stood in front of the group of high powered over
achievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz."

He then proceeded to produce a one-gallon, wide mouthed Mason jar and set it
on the table in front of him.  Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized
rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.  When the jar
was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this
jar full?"

Everyone in the class said, "Yes."

Then he said, "Really?"

He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel.  Then he dumped
some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves
down into the space between the big rocks.  Then he asked the group once
more, "Is the jar full?"

By this time the class was on to him.  "Probably not," one of them answered.

"Good!" he replied.

He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand.  He started
dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all of the spaces left between
the rocks and the gravel.  Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar
full?"

"No!" the class shouted.

Once again he said, "Good."  Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to
pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim.  Then he looked at the class
and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"

One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full
your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things
in it!"

"No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point.  The truth this
illustration teaches us is: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll
never get them in at all."

What are the 'big rocks' in your life?  Your children, your loved ones, your
education, your dreams, a worthy cause, teaching, mentioning others, doing
things that you love, time for yourself, your health, your significant other.
 Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at all.
 If you sweat the little stuff (the gravel, the sand) then you'll fill your
life with little things you worry about that don't really matter, and you'll
never have the real quality time you need to spend on the big,
important stuff (the big rocks).

So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this short story,
ask yourself this question: What are the 'big rocks' in my life?  Then, put
those in your jar first.

For those of you that can, have a very happy Thanksgiving.

Frank (The turkey from Pilgrim land)