Message from Deputy Chief Scout Khonzaphi Mdaka

There is no doubt that we all recognise and value what Scouting does for both young and old. Scouting gives us more confidence, responsibility, a broader set of friends, a chance to pursue things we might not get to do otherwise, adventure and an extended family. I am passionate about Scouting. I value what it adds to my life and that of my family. I am sure that this is a sentiment shared by many of you within the Scout Movement.

As Scouting volunteers we invest hours of our lives to ensure that we offer the best service to children as possible. Sometimes a day doesn’t have enough hours to volunteer and get work done too. Sometimes it all just seems too much to handle. As with all good things people are passionate about, we sometimes get lost in the small stuff and forget what is important, and lies at the heart of why we invest so much of ourselves in Scouting. As I say this, I am reminded of one of my favourite yarns called “The mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of 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 started 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 it 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 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 recognise that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things – God, family, children, health, friends, and favourite passions. Things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car. The sand is everything else – the small stuff. ‘If you put the sand into the jar first 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.”

As we round off our Scouting year, I would like to thank you for all the golf balls you have added to the Scout Jar this year. Thank you for leading by example and living the Scout Promise. Thank you for playing with our Meerkats and Cubs, thank you for camping with our Scouts and Rovers and for being an active member of our Scout family. But above all, thank you for encouraging the personal growth and well-being of our children and youth. Thanks to you they are confident, self-reliant and believe that they can be the change makers and leaders in creating a better world. I realise that the Scout Jar also contains a lot of sand, but by focusing on what matters, we were able to navigate what was important.

As we prepare ourselves to open up a new Jar in 2020, I urge you all to take care of the things that really matter such as our Scout principles, values, friendships and families. Set your priorities, define your golf balls and pebbles and let those guide you – as the rest … is just sand.

So, what about the coffee the professor added to the jar? “No matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.” Enjoy!

#ScoutsSA #ScoutsSouthAfrica #Thanks #ThankYou #Grateful #Volunteering #Skills4Life #MayonnaiseJarCupsOfCoffee