Post 1. Glass & Plastic Globe

A note from Ms. Sturley

I am currently at home, sitting in my room getting ready to head to sleep. I am exhausted from the week. It's been a busy last few days. I've been working hard to complete my work and trying my best to enjoy the final weeks with my family and friends before returning to college. I feel as though I am being pulled in quite a few directions, making it difficult to allocate and optimize my focus. I'm sure many of you can relate to this feeling. 

On days and weeks like this, I always refer back to a piece of advice I received from a teacher of mine––Ms. Sturley––that I wanted to pass along. Ms. Sturley was an ethics teacher at my high school who has since started law school at Columbia. 

After one of our classes this past winter, she shared the following: 

Life is truly an eternal juggle. We constantly attempt to keep all the balls—representing the various elements of our lives such as work, family, or friends—in the air. But we can't. We simply can't do everything all at the same time.

To make decisions about what balls to juggle, we must decipher which balls are glass and which are plastic at each moment in time. Glass balls are fragile and must be handled with care, for if they fall, they might shatter and be irreparable. The plastic balls, on the other hand, can fall, bounce, and be picked up again without lasting damage. 

So, next time you're torn between cramming for an exam and catching up with a friend in need, ask yourself: is this a glass ball or a plastic one? Some things can bounce back, but others need our immediate attention. Jugge wisely. 

I have certainly been doing my best to keep the glass balls in orbit and will be sure to pick back up the plastic balls when time allows. 

I hope you found a sliver of value in Ms. Sturley's message––I know I have.

11:45 PM. Logging Off. 

Best, 
Jack