A lesson of Lessons … ( 01 / 01 / 2013 )
A lesson of Lessons … ( 01 / 01 / 2013 )
As his lecture began , a professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him . He wordlessly picked up a very large and completely empty jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls . He then asked his students , “ Is this jar full ?” … Many of them said that it was .
The professor then picked up a box of small pebbles and began pouring them into the jar . As he did so , he lightly shook the jar , and the pebbles easily flowed into the open areas between the golf balls . He then asked his students , “ Is the jar full now ?” … Most of them nodded .
The professor then picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar . Of course , the sand easily filled up all the remaining space . He then asked once more if the jar was full , at which the students laughed and responded with an enthusiastically unanimous “ Yes !”
Finally , the professor brought two cups of tea from under the table and poured their entire contents into the jar , effectively and smoothly filling the empty space between all the grains of sand .
“ Now ,” said the professor as the silence subsided , “ I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life . The golf balls are life ’ s truly Important things — Loving your family , being Kind to strangers , Serving your community , Caring for your friends , and Forgiving your enemies . If everything else was lost and only they remained , your life would still be very full indeed …
The pebbles are the other not-nearly-so-important things that still matter — like your health , your job , your house , your car , and having fun …
Finally , the sand is everything that ’ s left — the superficial possessions , as well as life ’ s difficult moments ; all the “ small things ” that can be very irritating if we let them get into our eyes , and yet that are really not that important at all .”
“ Now , if we put sand into the jar first ,” he continued , “ there is then no room for the pebbles or the golf balls … and the same goes for life . If you spend all your time and energy focusing on what annoys or frustrates or disappoints or angers you , you will never have room for the things in your life that are truly Important .
So attend to the things that are critical to your true Happiness — and by that I do NOT mean the pebbles …
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