Philosophy lesson
A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in front
of him. When class began, wordlessly he picked up a large 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. The students laughed. The professor picked
up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up
everything else.
"Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this is your
life.
The rocks are the important things - your family, your partner, your
health, your children - anything that is so important to you that if it
were lost, you would be nearly destroyed. 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, there is no room for the pebbles
or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your energy
and time 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 wife out dancing. There will always be time to go to
work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal."
"Take care of the rocks first - the things that really matter. Set your
priorities. The rest is just sand."