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,
t he 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 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 time to get medical checkups. Take
your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will
always be time to clean the house and 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 coffee represented. The
professor smiled and said, 'I'm glad you asked.'
The coffee just shows you
that no matter how full your life may seem, there's
always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a
friend.'