A meterology professor stood before his Meteorology 101 class and had some items
in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and
empty mayonaise 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 jar of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The
pebbles, of course, rolled into the open spaces between the golf balls. He then
asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor
picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar and 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 cans of beer
from under the table and then proceeded to pour the entire contents into the
jar, effectively filling the empty space between the grains of sand. The
students laughed. "Now", said the proffessor, as the laughter subsided, "I want
you to recognize this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important
things - your family, your partner, your health, your children, your friends,
your favorite passions -- things that 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, 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 your 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. Play with your children. Take time to get medical
checkups. Take your partner out dancing. Play another 18. "There will always be
time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party, fix the disposal. 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. "I'm glad you asked.
It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's
always room for a couple of beers."
- AWESOME teacher. Love this little lesson. And so so true.
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