When things in your life seem almost too much to handle . . .
when 24 hours in a day are not enough . . .
remember the glasses of wine theory...
A professor stood before his philosophy class with some items on
his desk in front of him.
When the class began, 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.
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 a unanimous “YES.”
The professor then produced two glasses of wine from under the
table and poured the 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 golf balls are the
important things -- your family, your children, your health, your friends,
and your favorite passions. These are the things that if everything else were 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, there’s
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 good 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 holes. Do one more run down the
ski slope. 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 asked what the wine
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 glasses of wine with a friend.”
THANK YOU
TO THE
GREAT JOHN McCARTHY
FOR
SHARING THIS STORY
