THE BEST INTERVIEW
Yesterday is a day that I won't forget for a long time.
My 9-year-old daughter had told me yesterday morning that one of her
year-younger friends (third grade) wanted to interview me for a school
assignment. Wow! A third-grader wants to interview me! I was thrilled.
All during the day, I was anticipating questions and how I would
respond. "How did you become CyberSis?" I could hear her ask. "How many
hours do you work on the column?" was another obvious question. "How many
readers do you have?" might pop in there as a candidate.
I prepared to field most questions she could throw at me with
responses that would be comprehended by 8-year-old children. Nothing too
complicated. Nothing too condescending. A tough job, if you really think
about it.
While shopping at a fresh produce stand, I imagined all the similes
and metaphors I could use (for comedic effect) using fruit. "What do you
think of your work?", answered with "It's a peach"! "How do you think
people see you?", to be followed with "I'm a watermelon -- hard on the
outside, but soft at the center." All day long, the muted excitement built.
I even changed clothes, just to appear "fresher" for the interview.
When I went to the bus stop, I was primed!
Upon returning home, I offered the girls after school refreshments.
Anxious to begin, I asked Kayla where she would like to hold the interview.
She said, "Oh, it's okay. I don't need to interview you. I found
somebody else."
Crestfallen (to say the very least) I replied, "Oh, really? Who did
you get to interview?" trying to mentally size up the competition.
She said, "Oh, just my mother's boss's mother."
"Really?" was my catchy comeback. "And what type of work does SHE do?"
"I don't think she works. She's in a rest home."
Not seeing any relationship between the targeted interview subjects, I
asked, "Why did you happen to chose her?"
"I had to interview somebody REALLY old, around 50, who could tell me
about life in the 1960's. She LOOKS a LOT older than you do!" she casually
commented, munching on carrot sticks.
And that was the best interview I never had..
- P. L. Sweeney
I TRIED TO CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN TODAY.
I tried to climb the mountain today. As I inched my way
up the path, I felt overwhelmed, so I had to turn back.
I tried to climb the mountain today. On my journey, darkness
started to fall, and I was full of fear, so I had to return to
a safe place.
I was ready to climb the mountain today. But it
was so hot outside, I thought I better stay in my nice
air-conditioned house and rest up for tomorrow's attempt.
I was about to climb the mountain today. But I had so many
other things to do, so instead of climbing the mountain I
took care of much more important tasks. I washed my car,
mowed the grass and watched the big game. Today the mountain
will just have to wait.
I was going to climb the mountain today. But as I stared at
the mountain in it's majestic beauty, I knew I stood no chance
of making it to the top, so I figured why even bother trying.
I have forgotten about climbing the mountain today; until a
friend came by and asked me what I was up to lately. I told
him I was thinking about climbing that mountain some day.
I went on and on about how I was going to accomplish this
task.
Finally, he said, "I just got back from climbing the mountain.
For the longest time I told myself I was trying to climb the
mountain but never made any progress. I almost let the dream
of making it to the top die. I came up with every excuse of
why I could not make it up the mountain, but never once did
I give myself a reason why I could. One day as I stared at
the mountain and pondered, I realized that if I didn't make
an attempt at this dream all my dreams will eventually die."
"The next morning, I started my climb." He continued, "It was
not easy, and at times I wanted to quit. But no matter what I
faced, I placed one foot in front of the other, keeping a
steady pace. When the wind tried to blow me over the edge,
I kept walking. When the voices inside my head screamed
"stop!" I focused on my goal never letting it out of sight,
and I kept moving forward. At times, I was ready to quit, but
I knew I had come too far. Time and time again, I reassured
myself that I was going to finish this journey. I struggled
to make it to the top, but I climbed the mountain!"
"I have to be going," my friend said. "Tomorrow is a new day to
accomplish more dreams. By the way, what are you going to do
tomorrow?"
I looked at him, with intensity and confidence in my eyes, and
said, "I have a mountain to climb."
- Gary Barnes
You can visit Gary’s site, Self-Worth.com at:
http://www.self-worth.com
BIG ROCKS
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 overachievers
he said, "Okay, time for a quiz," and he pulled out a one gallon
wide mouth mason jar and set it on the table in front of him.
He also 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 yelled, "Yes." The time management expert
replied,"Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of
gravel. He dumped some of the gravel in and shook the jar causing the
pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big
rocks. He then asked the class once more if the jar was full.
By this time the class was on to him and said "Probably not."
"Good" he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket
of sand and started dumping it into the jar. The sand went into all of
the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked if
the jar was full.
"NO!" the class shouted. Once again he said "Good" and grabbed a pitcher
of water and began to pour it into the jar until the jar was filled to
the brim.
Then he looked around the room and asked, "What is the point of
this illustration?"
One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is that no matter
how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit
some more in."
"NO," the speaker replied, "that's not the point. The truth is that this
illustration teaches us that 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? Time with our loved ones, your
faith, your education, your dreams, a worthy cause, teaching or
mentoring others. Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first, or you'll
never get them in at all. 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."
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