The big and small things in life
A professor stood before his class, took a large empty jar of jam and proceeded to fill it with rocks about 3cm in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They answered in the affirmative.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar and shook him gently. The peas of course rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. Once again, the professor asked the students if the jar was full, and they, once again, said yes.
The professor then picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course the sand filled up every empty space and covered everything. The teacher again asked the students if the jar was full and this time they said, no doubt, yes.
At this point, the professor pulled out. From under the desk, a bottle of wine and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the sand.
The students laughed.
"Now - said the professor as the laughter - I want you to recognize that this jar represents our life. The rocks are the important things - God, family, friends - things that if everything else was lost, life would still be full.
The pebbles are the other important things: work, home, travel, thoughts, aspirations.
The sand is everything else ... the little things. "
" If you put into the jar first, the sand, "he continued," there would be enough room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for life. If we devote all our time and our energy on the small stuff, we will not have enough space for the things that really matter. "
A student raised her hand and inquired what the wine represented.
The professor smiled. "I'm glad I asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full our lives may be, because there is always room for a good bottle of wine. "
