Golf ball, Pebble, Sand and a cup of coffee

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 Hours in a day are not enough, remember the sugar 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 sugar 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 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 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 partner out to dinner. "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 cup of coffee with a friend."

EARTH BOUND - Land Water People

There is an exhibition of black and white photographs celebrating Land, Water and People presented by German Agro Action (GAA - Deutsche Welthungerhilfe) in collaboration with JackfruitResearch and Design (Bangalore). The travelling show brings to an urban audience for the first time an experience of GAA's presence in rural India, and its philosophies and accomplishments as an agrarian funding organisation working with Indian NGO partners. The images, augmented by text and graphics, narrate diverse stories of change and development captured through case-studies by photographer Clare Arni in developmental projects in the states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh,Orissa, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Rajasthan. The exhibition traces the problems faced and progress achieved in the broad areas of poverty alleviation and food security through an integrated approach under the 'Geographically Based Programme India' supported by the EU.

Dates: On view from December 2 to 10, 2006

Time:9.00 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.

Venue: Max Mueller Bhavan

After the showing in Bangalore, the exhibition will travel to other Indian cities:

The State Gallery of Art, Hyderabad - December 16 - 24, 2006

Palm CourtGallery, India Habitat Centre,

New Delhi - January 1 - 7, 2007

Seagull Arts and Media Resource Centre, Kolkata - February 1 - 7, 2007

All are welcome! Do come and view the exhibition.