Please read before Saturday Morning!

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Countryside : One Thread

The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday mornings. Perhaps it's the quiet solitude that comes with being the first to rise, or maybe, it's the unbounded joy of not having to be at work. Either way, the first few hours of a Saturday morning are most enjoyable.

A few weeks ago, I was shuffling toward the kitchen, with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other. What began as a typical Saturday morning turned into one of those lessons that life seems to hand you from time to time.

Let me tell you about it.

I turned the volume up on my radio in order to listen to a Saturday morning talk show. I heard an older sounding chap with a golden voice. You know the kind, he sounded like he should be in the broadcasting business himself. He was talking about "a thousand marbles" to someone named Tom. I was intrigued and sat down to listen to what he had to say.

"Well, Tom, it sure sounds like you're busy with your job. I'm sure they pay you well but it's a shame you have to be away from home and your family so much. Hard to believe a young fellow should have to work sixty or seventy hours a week to make ends meet. Too bad you missed your daughter's dance recital." He continued, "Let me tell you something Tom, something that has helped me keep a good perspective on my own priorities."

And that's when he began to explain his theory of "a thousand marbles."

"You see Tom, I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic. The average person lives about seventy-five years. I know, some live more and some live less, but on average, folks live about seventy-five years. Now then, I multiplied 75 times 52 and I came up with 3900 which is the number of Saturdays that the average person has in their entire lifetime. Now stick with me Tom, I'm getting to the important part. It took me until I was fifty-five years old to think about all this in any detail", he went on,"and by that time I had lived through over twenty-eight hundred Saturdays."

"I got to thinking that if I lived to be seventy-five, I only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy. So I went to a toy store and bought every single marble they had. I ended up having to visit three toy stores to round-up 1000 marbles. I took them home and put them inside of a large, clear plastic container right here in my workshop next to the radio. Every Saturday since then, I have taken one marble out and thrown it away. I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focused more on the really important things in life. There is nothing like watching your time here on this earth run out to help get your priorities straight."

"Now let me tell you one last thing before I sign-off with you and take my lovely wife out for breakfast. This morning, I took the very last marble out of the container. I figure if I make it until next Saturday then God has blessed me with a little extra time to be with my loved ones......It was nice to talk to you Tom, I hope you spend more time with your loved ones, and I hope to meet you again someday. Have a good morning!"

You could have heard a pin drop when he finished. Even the show's moderator didn't have anything to say for a few moments. I guess he gave us all a lot to think about.

I had planned to do some work that morning, then go to the gym. Instead, I went upstairs and woke my wife up with a kiss. "C'mon honey, I'm taking you and the kids to breakfast."

"What brought this on?" she asked with a smile.

"Oh, nothing special, I said. It's just been a long time since we spent a Saturday together with the kids. Hey, can we stop at a toy store while we're out? I need to buy some marbles."

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND AND MAY ALL YOUR SATURDAYS BE SPECIAL! MAY YOU HAVE MANY HAPPY YEARS...EVEN AFTER YOUR LAST MARBLE!

-- Cher Rovang (fullcircle@nidlink.com), January 12, 2001

Answers

Beautiful.

-- Marty (Mrs.Puck@Excite.com), January 12, 2001.

That brought tears to my eyes! Makes me want to hold my husband and kids real tight.I wish I had Saturday mornings, but I guess any morning will work just as well. We should all cherish every day! Nan

-- Nan (graf_nan@hotmail.com), January 12, 2001.

Thanks I needed this after all what counts in life after GOD is family. Indiana Country Friend Jack Bunyard

-- Jack Bunyard (bunyard@cnz.com), January 12, 2001.

I'm forwarding this to my husband. Then I'm paying a visit to Toys'R'Us.

Thanks.

-- Tracy (trimmer@westzone.com), January 12, 2001.


I love this story! I received it on e-mail awhile back and it really got me thinking. I no longer make plans for Saturdays. We stay home together and help each other with special projects. Last weekend we did a carpentry project together. We worked, laughed, and learned. How could you spend your time better. Things come up from time to time and we have to skip our Saturdays, but our Daughter is 16 and she says now she can't wait for Saturday. I call that success!

-- Shau Marie (shau@centurytel.net), January 12, 2001.


Thank you. I, too, work every Saturday but I have other days and this has really helped me think about somethings in a new light.

-- Artie Ann Karns (rokarns@arkansas.net), January 12, 2001.

Thanks Cher. That was great.

-- john leake (natlivent@pcpros.net), January 12, 2001.

Well Cher it's 11:32 pm and I wish the stores were open, I am sitting here crying my eye out, it really makes you think about how short life really is, and how we are always rushing around trying to get things done and not enjoying life to it's fullest, thank you so much for this post. God Bless.

-- tracy emily in TN (emilyfarms@tsixroads.com), January 13, 2001.

Solid Gold Cher !! It's 3 a.m. here--I'm an early riser. "I do so enjoy these hours before the battle begins"--- General Robert E. Lee. I was planning a trip to the dump and stopping by to deliver an old carburator to a friend who's truck isn't runnin. I usually would go with the men but these are things my wife enjoys also. I think I'll wake her up at 5 and see if she would like to toss that marble with me. Have a great day !

-- Joel Rosen (Joel681@webtv.net), January 13, 2001.

I guess if your not spending every Saturday with your family, your just losing your marbles.

-- Randy (PuckRan@Excite.com), January 13, 2001.


I loved it. We all need a reminder of what is precious once in awhile! Thanks!

-- Nancy in CA (sonflower35@icqmail.com), January 13, 2001.

Me personally I always thought was some of the idea behind Sunday as a day of rest. I always try to set it aside for family,visitation and such.

-- Tom (Calfarm@msn.com), January 14, 2001.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ