See Beyond Practicality

Lets jump into the story directly this time

Once, there was a beautiful couple in love… So much in love that their love, their relation was their life. The guy used to work in the office happily and wait for the evening to meet his love. He knew the purpose of life and his reason to work. Every evening he used to take flowers as she likes flowers most. They used to have dinner together no matter how late it is. Girl loved to wait for her love to have dinner together even if it was just a slice of sandwich. They were happy. Girl used to wait for the flowers even though it was picked from garden because the love his boyfriend carried with that flower mattered her. The guy took the flowers every day just to see her smile.

One day the guy proposed the girl saying I wanna marry you so that I get more time to love you more and more. Girl was very happy and said Yes. They got happily married.

Guy got promotion at work and responsibility increased and now he got a family to take care too. Now they are wife and husband.

Unlike earlier, the husband stopped bringing flowers to his wife. When the wife asked about it, the husband said Be Practical. I am busy now, I don't have time. When the wife used to wait the same way for dinner, the husband said Be Practical. You eat in time and sleep, don't spoil your health, I am busy. When the wife asked “you said you will love me more after marriage” the husband said Be Practical, you just sit at home and do nothing so you get silly thoughts and always complain. You are not a happy going girl like from before marriage. You were happy with me then and now you are not. But the wife couldn't explain.

Husband was frustrated & tired. He forgot the value of life. He was just running around and was thinking that he is very busy now. But, his wife doesn't understand and rather complains. He started finding alone time.

One day he happened to meet his old time professor. The professor noticed that the guy is not happy and energetic as earlier. Because of this he is unable to pay attention at work. He doesn’t have time and his wife is also not understanding.

Hearing all these, the professor got an empty bottle.

Professor: Is this bottle empty, can I fill anything in it?

Husband: yes.

Professor pulled out some big pebbles and filled the bottle.

Professor: Is it empty, can I fill it more?

Husband: No, you can’t.

Professor now pulled out small size beads and filled the same bottle. The beads slid in the bottle and filled the gap between pebbles.

Professor: Is there a space to fill?

Husband: No way, now you can’t fill it with anything.

Professor pulled sand and filled the bottle. Sand slid easily in the gap between the pebbles and the beads.

Professor: Can I fill anything now?

Husband: No way, now there is definitely no space.

Professor pulled out some cement and filled it by tapping the bottle, the cement slid in between the sand.

Professor: Can I fill the bottle, is there any space left?

Husband: No way, now definitely no space left.

Professor now fetched a glass of water and filled the bottle with it. The water got soaked by the cement in gaps of pebbles and beads. Professor now explains the husband.

We always feel that we don’t have time and Be Practical. But, this bottle is like your day where you feel that there is practically no space in your life. These big pebbles are like big responsibilities and small beads are like small responsibilities. Sand and cement are like fun & happiness in life which always fit in between. Water is like love which exists everywhere. With water, everything in the bottle gets very strong and unbreakable. Even if the glass bottle breaks, the content in the bottle will hold the shape because of water, cement & sand. Else the pebbles are shaky and will get scattered when the bottle breaks. You will also break apart and get scattered and will always live in a worry to save the bottle (i.e. your life). The way with cement, sand and water; the content got strong and worry free. In the same way with love, fun and happiness; you will also be stronger and will never have to run to save a day like saving this bottle.

The guy understood. He went home & said sorry to his wife. Now, he is a happy & stress free guy. He performs his responsibilities properly. Sometimes, he might go a bit late but ensures to take flowers along. He now has more money to order online or from a bouquet shop too. However late he goes home, now he takes his wife to a restaurant or stays home to have dinner together. Now he again has enough time to live his24 hours to live life with happiness and love. He is stronger and confident and performing well at work.

So never feel you don’t have time and Be Practical. You can always have enough time to live life, enough time for love. If you really wanna be practical… Think practically, why do you need a wife, love, house, car, or family. Earn money, get status, count your money and progress on weekends. If you can’t get peace of mind, is it really worth living? If you don't have anyone to care for or appreciate you & your success, is it worth living?

Without love, there is no happiness. It's like sand & cement in a bottle which can slide anytime. Time will fly and you will lose it all. It's not worth living at all if it's to live in a worry about losing things. Only love can hold everything.

Have love in life. Live life, don’t be practical because you can never see how much time you have in a day, the way you fail to see spaces in the bottle of pebbles.

Disclaimer: I heard the bottle & pebble story which inspired my thoughts so I took it as a reference.