Monday 24 October 2011

How Heavy is a Glass of Water?

...
From an email..


The Lecturer walked around the room while explaining stress management to an audience with a raised glass of water.

"How heavy is this glass of water?" she inquired with a smile.

Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it.
If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem.
If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm.
If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance.
In each case it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

She continued, "That's the way it is with stress. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on.

As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden - holding stress longer and better each time practiced.

So, as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don't carry them through the evening and into the night... Pick them up tomorrow."

5 comments:

  1. I've always loved this story. GREAT reminder. :-D

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  2. That is true, but sometimes we forget. And there are some that live for the pain, what a shame!
    When freedom from stress is easier to sit down till later when we are more up to handling it, instead as some have never learned to let go even for a little while.

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  3. I needed to hear this today!!! Thank you.

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