vb:literal>

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 11 to 17 of 17

Thread: Fort Peck

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    ME
    Posts
    3,529

    Smile The Marbles

    Sorry it took me so long to respond. Actually Hiram did send me that story too! After some research, I have discovered there are a number of versions but they all are telling us the same thing - take time for family, life and to enjoy.....

    Our Pastor used that story with a Bible story to emphasize time for family (both ours and our church family). When he did it lead me to realize my part time job was taking me away from family and my husband (who is older than I and has been retired for a long time). So, I resigned my job with a notice (2 1/2 months) the next Monday - and guess where I worked.......the church! It was the weekend before my last week that my husband was rushed to the emergency room, had emergency surgery and diagnosed with cancer. So you see - there is a higher power!

    Here is one version -
    The Story:
    A man was thinking about his life... He heard that an average human lifespan is about 70 years. He calculated how many years he had left until his 70th birthday. Then he multiplied that number by 52 to see how many weeks he had to live.
    He took a bowl and put as many marbles in it as the number of the weeks he had. After that at the end of every week, he threw one marble out of the ball. As time went by, he was watching how the marbles in the bowl got lesser. The lesser the marbles got, the more he appreciated life and enjoyed it fuller and fuller.
    On his 70th birthday, the man threw away the last marble from the bowl. Every day after that he valued and treasured as a very special gift he was given.

    Another is slightly different and available at this link: http://www.llerrah.com/thousandmarbles.htm

    Hope you and others on our website enjoy.

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Brewer,ME
    Posts
    2,611

    Default OK I got it

    So in essence your saying once you've reached 70 years of age you have in effect "lost your marbles". Interesting theory.
    Happy Trails!



  3. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    ME
    Posts
    3,529

    Default

    I didn't need to reach 70 to loose my marbles - isn't that obvious???!!?

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    abbot me
    Posts
    754

    Default

    Lois after reading the marble story,I realized that I had heard it before.My friend steve always uses the ruler version.Just take a tape measure and open it to seventy inches,then hold your finger at your age.It will be quite eye opening to some of us!!Of course Hiram will feel good!!

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Unity, Maine
    Posts
    3,874

    Default

    Reading this thread has done my soul good . . . and the comments have reminded me of a few life-altering experiences that I have had in life. I think most everyone at one time has a point in their life where something happens that causes you to pause for a bit and reconsider your life, your goals, your expectations.

    I have had more than a few of these moments in life and figured I might as well share them with you folks.

    ----

    The first life altering experience I had came out of an off-hand comment made by a veteran firefighter years and years ago. This firefighter was talking about how family and friends should always be a person's first priority since, "When you're on your deathbed, those folks at your side in those last moments probably will not be your co-workers."

    That off-hand comment really sunk in with me and made me take a serious look at the various organizations I was involved with and I came to the realization that family and friends are truly the most important thing. At a funeral service the person giving an eulogy never talks about how much money a person made, how famous they were or how beautiful they were . . . all these things are fleeting . . . in fact, all eulogies touch on the truly important and lasting legacy . . . how our life has touched others and affected them.

    As a result of that comment I began to focus more on family and friends and less on "getting ahead" in life and work . . . to tell the truth when I die (and I'm kinda hoping it may not be right away) I would love to have people say that I was a man who loved and was loved.


    --------

    Perhaps an even more eye-opening experience occurred a few years ago, actually it was two events spaced a year and a month apart . . . one September my father-in-law died and the very next year my younger sister died in a car crash.

    No other event has made me stop and take stock in my life. For the first time in my life I realized that while we can make plans for the future, the fact of the matter is, our days are all numbered and we never know what the coming day, much less tomorrow will bring. Our lives can be altered in a minute and oftentimes there is nothing we can do to change how our lives have been re-directed.

    Due to these deaths I try to live in the present . . . I plan for the future (hey I'm still optimistic), remember the past . . . but realize that things can change so quickly. This new life's philosophy has made me appreciate life on a daily basis since it is so fragile and can slip away so quickly and unexpectedly.
    "Courage is not the absence of fear, but the realization that there is something more important than fear."

    "Death is only one of many ways to die."

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    ME
    Posts
    3,529

    Default

    Jake - well said.

    Recently, I read in the paper about someone who had recently won an award. It was for things the person had done for others. What this person stated as the "why" they did the things impressed me - it went something like - Every night when I go to bed I ask myself what have I done to help someone, change the life of someone or be nice to someone today?

    It is my belief that many who are enjoying Geocaching today are searching into the right space. Not just for caches but for quality time. Some of this is in reflective solitude. It is also a family friendly activity and one, too, where friends may spend quality time together in the outdoors.

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Maine
    Posts
    1,972

    Thumbs up Changes for the better

    My life changed, for the better, on August 3rd, 2005. It all started with a simple paddle, in the ocean. Thank you.
    Why not live life like it is your last day....instead of pretending to be a member of the Peter Pan Club and believing you will be around forever.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •