The weight of the Glass

My psychology professor lectured to a packed auditorium of students while moving around on a stage and explaining stress management concepts. Everyone assumed they would be asked the standard "glass half empty or glass half full" question as she raised a glass of water. Rather, the professor asked, "How heavy is this glass of water I'm holding?" while grinning.

Students shouted out answers ranging from eight ounces to a couple pounds.

In response, she said, "I don't think it matters how heavy this glass is in its entirety. Everything hinges on how long I hold it. It's fairly light if I hold it for a minute or two. Its weight can give me a slight arm soreness if I hold it for an entire hour. My arm will probably cramp up and feel totally numb and paralysed if I hold it for a day straight, which will force me to let go of the glass. The glass's weight remains constant in each instance, yet it seems heavier to me the longer I hold it.

She went on, "Your stresses and worries in life are very much like this glass of water," to which the students shook their heads in agreement. Nothing happens when you consider them for a time. You start to feel a little achy as you continue to think about them. If you think about them all day, you'll become utterly numb and immobile, unable to move until you let them go.