A meteorology 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 glass 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 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 an 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 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 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 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 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."
