Room for beer. A
philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in front
of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and
empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, rocks about
2'' in diameter.
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, of course, rolled
into the open areas between the rocks.
He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.
He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous -- yes.
The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table
and proceeded to pour their 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 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," he continued "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 checkups. 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."
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer
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 beers." [WebLogs @ SqlJunkies.com]
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