November 26, 2006

And now, some deep thoughts.

A philosophy professor stood before her class and had some items in front of her.

When the class began, silently she picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks. She 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. She shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks. She then asked the students again if the jar was full. They again agreed it was.

The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

Now, said the professor, I want you to recognize that this is your life. The rocks are the important things - your family, your partner, your health, your children - 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, there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your 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 check-ups. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal. Take care of the rocks first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

But then a student took the jar which the other students and the professor agreed was full, and proceeded to pour in a glass of beer. Of course the beer filled the remaining spaces within the jar making the jar truly full.

The moral of the tale: No matter how full your life is, there is always room for beer.

5 Comments:

At 11/27/2006 10:20 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Now that we have experienced the quietest hurricane season in over a decade, where are those that were so spooked about global warmings cause and impact on hurricanes?

Seems like the left went off in a tangent on that one, huh?

 
At 11/27/2006 10:32 AM, Blogger Benton Harbor said...

Back in the 60's, my philosophy professor used that same example (must be in the teacher's addition of the textbook notes). Unfortunately, none of us students came up with the "beer" addendum. Damn... wish we'd thought of that

 
At 11/27/2006 4:37 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I seem to remember that Ben Franklin said something like, "Beer is God's way of showing that he loves us and wants us to be happy."

 
At 11/28/2006 12:38 AM, Blogger The Inside Dope said...

anonymous. What you don't know about global warming would fill a hurricane.

Yeah.. guess that proves it. Global warming is a myth. Yeesh.

 
At 11/28/2006 12:51 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Two words, "El Nino."

 

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