TWO GLASSES OF WINE <Or bourbon>
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 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, 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
glasses of wine 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; 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, 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. Play with your
children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take
your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. Do one
more run down the ski slope. 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 wine 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 glasses of wine with a friend."
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 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, 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
glasses of wine 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; 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, 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. Play with your
children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take
your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. Do one
more run down the ski slope. 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 wine 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 glasses of wine with a friend."
