A Good Philosophy
A professor stood before his Philosophy 101 class and had some items in front of
him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up the 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 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 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. Of course, the sand filled
up everything else. He then once more asked 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 golf balls are
the important things ---- your family, your wife/husband, 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 important to
your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take
your wife/husband 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 is always room for a couple of beers.