A
professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.
When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty glass jar
and fills 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 it 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, the sand filled up everything else.
He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an
undisputed
“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 - God, family, children, health,
friends, and favorite passions. Things, that if everything else was lost and
only they remained, your life would still be full.
The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car.
The sand is everything else -- the small stuff.
“He said. 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... “He told them. “So... pay attention to the things
that are critical to your happiness.
Worship with your family. Play with your children. Take your partner out to
dinner. Spend time with good friends. There will always be time to clean the
house and fix the dripping tap.
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. It just goes to show you
that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple
cups of coffee with a friend. "
When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day
is not enough, remember the glass jar and two cups of coffee.
