Philosophy 101

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When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a
day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar........and the beer.

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.

So 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 among
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 unanimously, "Yes!"

The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and poured
the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space in 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, 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 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. 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 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."
 
I have always liked this. Too many times the "golf balls" take a back seat to the "sand". It is a nice reminder what is really important.
 
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