This is the description of a philosophy lecture ( I don't know where or who) that simplifies life.
This was floating around the internet around a year ago and I think it needs a revival!
The Professor and the Jar
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 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 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 an unanimous “yes.”
The Professor then produced two cups of coffee from under
the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the
space between the grains of sand.
“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. Go out to dinner with a loved one. Play another 18.
There will always be time to work, clean and fix things.
“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
coffee 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 cups of coffee with a friend.”
_cover.jpg/300px-Where_The_Wild_Things_Are_(book)_cover.jpg)
