ROCKS,PEBBLES,AND SAND

A philosophy professor stood before his class andhad some items in front of him. When the classbegan, wordlessly he picked up a very large andempty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it withrocks, rocks about 2" in diameter.He then asked the students if the jar was full? Theyagreed that it was. So the professor then picked upa box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. Heshook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolledinto 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 boxof sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, thesand filled up everything else. He then asked once moreif the jar was full. The students responded with aunanimous - yes.The professor then produced two cans of beer fromunder the table and proceeded to pour their entirecontents into the jar - effectively filling the emptyspace between the sand.The students laughed."Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided,"I want you to recognize that this jar representsyour life. The rocks are the important things - yourfamily, your partner, your health, your children - thingsthat if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.The pebbles are the other things that matter likeyour job, your house, your car. The sand is everythingelse. The small stuff.""If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued"there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. Thesame goes for your life. If you spend all your timeand energy on the small stuff, you will never haveroom for the things that are important to you. Payattention 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 thehouse, give a dinner party and fix the disposal."Take care of the rocks first - the things dat realymatter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.