“A man’s job is to make the world a better place to live in, so far as he is able – always remembering the results will be infinitesimal – and to attend to his own soul.” - Leroy Percy
 
How are you able to make your corner of the world a little better?

“First, see clearly.
Next, act correctly.
Finally, endure and accept the world as it is.” - Marcus Aurelius
 
How can you see, act and accept life as it is?

The Jar
 
 There was once a very wise teacher, whose words of wisdom students would come from far and wide to hear. One day as usual, many students began to gather in the class room. They came in and sat down very quietly, looking to the front with keen anticipation, ready to hear what the teacher had to say.
Eventually the teacher came in and sat down in front of the students. The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. On one side of the teacher was a large glass jar. On the other side was a pile of dark gray rocks. Without saying a word, the teacher began to pick up the rocks one by one and place them very carefully in the glass jar (Plonk. Plonk.) When all the rocks were in the jar, the teacher turned to the students and asked, 'Is the jar full?' 'Yes,' said the students. 'Yes, teacher, the jar is full'.
Without saying a word, the teacher began to drop small round pink pebbles carefully into the large glass jar so that they fell down between the rocks. (Clickety click. Clickety click.) When all the pebbles were in the jar, the teacher turned to the students and asked, 'Is the jar now full?' The students looked at one another and then some of them started nodding and saying, 'Yes. Yes, teacher, the jar is now full.
Without saying a word, the teacher took some fine silver sand and let it trickle with a gentle sighing sound into the large glass jar (whoosh) where it settled around the pink pebbles and the dark gray rocks. When all the sand was in the jar, the teacher turned to the students and asked, 'Is the jar now full?'
The students were not so confident this time, but the sand had clearly filled all the space in the jar so a few still nodded and said, 'Yes, teacher, the jar is now full.
Without saying a word, the teacher took a jug of water and poured it carefully, without splashing a drop, into the large glass jar. (Glug. Glug.)
When the water reached the brim, the teacher turned to the students and asked, 'Is the jar now full?' Most of the students were silent, but two or three ventured to answer, 'Yes, teacher, the jar is now full.
Without saying a word, the teacher took a handful of salt and sprinkled it slowly over the top of the water with a very quiet whishing sound. (Whish.) When all the salt had dissolved into the water, the teacher turned to the students and asked once more, 'Is the jar now full?' The students were totally silent. Eventually one brave student said, 'Yes, teacher. The jar is now full'. 'Yes,' said the teacher 'The jar is now full'.
The teacher then said: 'A story always has many meanings and you will each have understood many things from this demonstration. Discuss quietly amongst yourselves what meanings the story has for you. How many different messages can you find in it and take from it?'
The students looked at the wise teacher and at the beautiful glass jar filled with gray rocks, pink pebbles, silver sand, water and salt. Then they quietly discussed with one another the meanings the story had for them. After a few minutes, the wise teacher raised one hand and the room fell silent. The teacher said: 'Remember that there is never just one interpretation of anything. You have all taken away many meanings and messages from the story, and each meaning is as important and as valid as any other'.
And without saying another word, the teacher got up and left the room.

www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/stories.

“The environment that people live in is the environment they learn to live in, respect and perpetuate.” - Ellen Swallow Richards
 
How is your environment causing you to improve or get worse? 

“The surest test of discipline is its absence.” - Clara Barton
 
How do you exhibit that you are a person of your word?

“We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.” - Ronald Reagan
 
Who can you help today?

“Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It’s perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we’ve learned something from yesterday.” - John Wayne
 
How much living can you accomplish today and tomorrow? 

Please check out my latest audio podcast, The Polaris Podcast,  where I was interviewed by Cadet 1st Class Antonio Del Rossa and Cadet Second Class Jack Calkins from the United States Air Force Academy. You can listen to the podcast by clicking on the PODCASTS & RADIO INTERVIEWS button at the top of the page and clicking on The Polaris Podcast link.

“Liberty – is one of the choicest gifts that heaven hath bestowed upon man, and exceeds in volume all the treasures which the earth contains within its bosom or the sea covers. Liberty, as well as honor, man ought to preserve at the hazard of his life, for without it, life is insupportable.” - Cervantes
 
What liberties do you take for granted?

​“Death may simply be an alteration in consciousness, a transition for continued life in a nonmaterial form.” - Edgar Mitchell
 
What do you imagine the transition from life to death will be like?

“Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.” - Warren Buffet
 
How do you resist impulse in favor of common sense? 

Please check out my latest podcast, The Courage Wolf, where I was interviewed by Terry Oliver. You can listen to the podcast by clicking on the PODCASTS & RADIO INTERVIEWS button at the top of this page and  scroll down and click on The Courage Wolf Podcast tab. This podcast is special because Terry reached out to the Cincinnati Police Department, who got together a group of former Academy classmates, instructors, and people I worked with over the course of my career. Many of them recorded personal messages of love and support that are included in the podcast. I hope you enjoy the effort Terry and my brother and sister officers put into making this podcast so special.