The Wise Professor

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 2 beers.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly 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.

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 a unanimous ‘yes.’

The professor then produced two beers 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 favorite passions—and 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 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.

Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and mow the lawn.

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 beer represented. The professor smiled and said, ‘I’m glad you asked.’ The beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of beers with a friend.

Letter to David Smith MP - 28th December 2024

This is a letter I sent to my MP, David Smith (Labour) which remains unanswered almost 2 months later. Is it any wonder we lose faith in our politicians?

David Smith MP. House of Commons. LONDON SW1A 0AA

28th December 2024

Dear Mr Smith

I am writing to you as one of your constituents to express my deep concern about the current direction of the country under the Labour Government. I have outlined several key issues below that highlight the challenges many of us are facing and why there is such widespread dissatisfaction:

1. Removal of the Winter Fuel Payment: This essential support has been taken away from millions of pensioners without any prior warning of this before the General Election. This decision feels like nothing more than a spiteful robbery of the elderly, leaving many vulnerable to the rising cost of energy.

2. Rising Cost of Bus Travel: At a time when reducing car travel should be a priority, the increase in bus fares is incomprehensible. For workers relying on buses for their commute, this measure clearly amounts to a “tax on working people”, potentially adding an extra £40 a month (£480 annually) to their expenses.

3. Cancelling the A1 Road Upgrade: This much-needed project was also quietly abandoned, despite being vital for infrastructure improvement. Again, there was no mention of this before the General Election.

4. Higher Council Tax Increases: We are now facing higher Council Tax bills at a time when household budgets are already severely stretched.

5. Increasing Public Debt: Despite promises of fiscal responsibility, additional borrowing has driven public debt to new heights, with the country now paying even more in interest. This is making us all poorer.

6. Mortgage and Savings Interest Rates: Mortgage interest rates continue to rise, placing an enormous burden on homeowners, while savers are now seeing their returns fall. Could it be any worse?

7. Rising Inflation and Economic Stagnation: Inflation continues to rise, eroding the value of wages and pensions. Economic growth has stalled and, in fact, reversed, with the country teetering on the edge of recession. This is a clear failure of economic policy and the opposite of what was promised.

8. Illegal Migration: Illegal migration remains an unresolved issue. Despite the government’s promises to “smash the gangs”, there has been no meaningful progress. A clear, practical plan is still absent.

9. Employer National Insurance Contributions: The increase in employer National Insurance contributions has placed significant additional costs on businesses, which are now being passed on to consumers. Prices continue to rise as a result.

10. House Building Targets: The government’s housing targets are wholly unrealistic. Housebuilders have made it clear that they lack the manpower to deliver on these promises, which are nothing more than a “pie in the sky” wishlist.

11. WASPI Women: In direct contradiction of pre-election statements, the government has completely abandoned the WASPI women, who continue to be treated disgracefully.

12. Missed Taxation Opportunities: Opportunities to raise taxes on harmful products like sugar, alcohol, and tobacco were ignored, as was the opportunity to increase taxes on the very wealthy. Instead, the burden falls disproportionately on businesses who obviously pass these costs on to ordinary working people.

In summary, things are getting far worse under the present Labour Government. Many in society feel betrayed by the lack of action and broken promises.

As an average couple, my wife and I have seen no positive changes in our lives since Labour came to power. The government may point to pension increases, but these are negated by the withdrawal of other support and rising inflation, leaving us worse off.

This is the third time I have written to you regarding my concerns, and I am deeply disappointed that I have not received any reply to my previous letters. I hope this time my concerns will be addressed, as your constituents deserve to be heard.

I urge you to raise these concerns with Government Ministers and in “The House” and to advocate for meaningful change that addresses the struggles of ordinary people. We need policies that provide real support, foster economic growth, and deliver on the promises made to the electorate.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my concerns. I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,

Letter to David Smith MP - 16th October 2024

This is a letter I sent to my MP, David Smith (Labour) which remains unanswered 4 months later. Is it any wonder we lose faith in our politicians?

David Smith MP. House of Commons. LONDON SW1A 0AA

16th October 2024

Dear Mr Smith

I am writing again to you in your capacity as the Labour MP for North Northumberland, as you may appreciate it is disappointing to not having been afforded the respect and courtesy of a reply to my original letter (30th July 2024) particularly with you having been so recently elected to represent me and your other constituents.

I remain utterly appalled that one of the first actions of The Government is to remove the longstanding (introduced by Labour) winter fuel payment (WFP) of £300 to pensioners, adversely affecting approximately ten million people. This has been promoted as being “means tested” when it is not, it is a blanket cut. The means of individuals to manage without it has not been tested at all.

I cannot tell you how disappointed we are that you personally, as our elected representative and a Labour Member of Parliament, voted on Tuesday 10th September to support the “means testing” (it is no such thing) of the winter fuel payment to pensioners, you didn’t even have the good grace or courage to abstain, this to me is very much “putting party before people”.

On top of this we now have the ongoing scandal of our Prime Minister and Government Ministers piling onto the gravy train, a stream of “gifts” in the form of free tickets (concert & sport), free clothes, free travel, free accommodation, even free spectacles costing thousands etc. etc. The behavior of those now in power is utterly shameful in the eyes of the voting public and it is clear why the Prime Minister’s approval rating has plunged below that of the Tory leader Rishi Sunak, suffering a huge 45-point drop since July.

Based on the performance so far and our personal quite dreadful experience of the NHS in recent days I see no prospect of improvement, just more debt, more fiddling of the books and a worsening of our standard of living in general. So far, even before the budget, we are unquestionably worse off under a Labour Government.

Yours sincerely,