interesting...fron rissainthesky
A New Philosophy
> >
> > 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, 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 once
> more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous -- yes.
> The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and
> proceeded to pour their 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 health, your children--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 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 checkups. Take your partner 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." 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's always room for a couple of beers."
> >
> > 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, 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 once
> more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous -- yes.
> The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and
> proceeded to pour their 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 health, your children--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 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 checkups. Take your partner 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." 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's always room for a couple of beers."