Conversation and a story of THE MAYONNAISE JAR AND COFFEE

I had a conversation with Danny - my English teacher as I mentioned in a post the other day ( via msn ). He could hardly remember me but we kept chatting and ended up talking about our personal lives. He is going to get married with a Vietnamese girl. He bought a flat in Hanoi and will be staying there in the future. Meanwhile, i'm going to England ( his country ) to study. We are going on reverse ways! Danny seems to have a lot of bad memories in England, he talked ( actually typed :) all that he kept inside to me... That's may be the reason he left England to work in Vietnam. But I don't hesitate, I am prepared to learn good and bad things in my life. Whatever they are, I need to experience and learn, to see them for myself. We all know that we can't stay in one place and learn everything. Lately after the talk, he sent me a story of the mayonnaise jar and coffee. I could derive from it what he indicated: no matter how far I want to go, how high i want to climb, i still need to spare time to the most essential things: family, friends and my own passion. We all know that. Don't worry, Danny! I'm not travelling forever :)

Danny says:
sorry not sure
Danny says:
ah hiep
Danny says:
i just noticed your mail address
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
can't blame u...it's been 3 years and u had so many students before
Danny says:
yeh but i can usually remember most even if not their name
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
i was in Elementary B class
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
summer of 2002
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
like rock music
In Singapore ... until end of June says:

In Singapore ... until end of June says:
and u said i could go to a higher level class
Danny says:
in the funny shaped room i think
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
we had many rooms
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
nevermind
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
ah
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
we went for a karaoke at the end of the course
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
at Nguyen Bieu
Danny says:
ah yes now i remember near truc bac lake
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
remember u told me on the way back about your girl friend named Loan
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
haha
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
still with her?
In Singapore ... until end of June says:

Danny says:
wow i don't remember her
Danny says:
i have a new girl now and we may get married
Danny says:
i have a flat too
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
Vietnamese?
Danny says:
so i have to work very hard to pay for it all
Danny says:
yes she is from hanoi
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
so u will be staying in Vietnam permanently?
Danny says:
no i plan to travel for a few years and then come back
Danny says:
it is very dull here
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
travel first then go back Vietnam and get married?
Danny says:
no get married here as it is then easier to travel and get visas then come back when the kid is about 4 or 5 years old and has to go to school
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
i see
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
where will u two go?
Danny says:
no idea yet
Danny says:
will see where i can work
Danny says:
i work for the British Council now so see what they have for me
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
so u ask them to transfer u to another country?
Danny says:
yeh i have to apply and then i can go to many different places
Danny says:
easy
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
i see
Danny says:
look Hiep i have to sleep now
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
ok
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
good nite
Danny says:
catch you another time
Danny says:
see you
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
see u!
Danny says:
good luck with your studies
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
thanks!
Danny says:
have a good one in Sing
Danny says:
bye
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
leaving Sing soon
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
haha
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
to England
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
your country
Danny says:
poor you
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
why?
Danny says:
i don't like it over there
Danny says:
it is better for me here
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
i heard people there are cold as the weather
In Singapore ... until end of June says:

In Singapore ... until end of June says:
but i'm still young, need to go, to travel, to study...
Danny says:
yeh it's good for you to see
Danny says:
open your eyes
Danny says:
you need to see for yoursefl
Danny says:
make your own decisions
Danny says:
then choose what you want
Danny says:
sometimes it takes a long time and you don't know what is right
Danny says:
but once you know then you feel good and can really make what you want actually happen
Danny says:
that is great
Danny says:
to have a plan
Danny says:
but you can't do that by staying in hanoi
Danny says:
you have to go
Danny says:
so you have a great chance
Danny says:
take it
Danny says:
eat ti
Danny says:
eat it
Danny says:
it WILL make you happy
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
ok, thanks! it seems u have many things to say
In Singapore ... until end of June says:

Danny says:
just an old fool
Danny says:
who never got it right
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
just expresssing yourself huh!
Danny says:
make good choices and stick to then
Danny says:
them
Danny says:
invest now
Danny says:
i am off to bed goodnight
In Singapore ... until end of June says:
ok


THE MAYONNAISE JAR AND COFFEE
> > >
> > >When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 Hours
> > >in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise 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 mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf
> > >balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that
> >
> > >it was.
> > >
> > >So 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 family, your children,
> > >your health, your friends and your favouritepassions - 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 education, 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.
> > >Play another 18.
> > >
> > >There will always be time to clean the house and wash the car. 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
> > >couple of cups of coffee with a friend."
> > >
> > >Please share this with someone you care about.
> > >
> > >I just did.




Carpe diem