Is The Jar Full?, . . .

Track this topic | Email this topic | Print this topic

krahen

Posted: May 22 2003, 11:29 PM

Unregistered

A philosophy professor stood before his 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 proceeded to fill it with
rocks, rocks
about 2" in diameter. He then asked the students if
the jar was full. They
agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and
poured them into
the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles of
course rolled into the
open areas between the rocks. 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. Of
course, the sand filled up everything else. He then
asked the students
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
proceeded to pour 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
rocks are the important
things. your family, your partner, your children, your
health. Things
that if everything else in life 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 in the jar first," he continued,
"There is no room
for the pebbles or the rocks. 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 check-ups. Take your partner out
dancing, spend time with
your friends and really listen to them. There will
always be time to go
to work, clean the house and mend the toaster. Take
care of the rocks
first, the things that really matter. Set your
priorities - the rest is
just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired as to
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....!"