Tuesday, June 16, 2009

the rest is just sand.

I got this chain letter in an email awhile ago and I am so happy I found this again.. What a great lesson.


Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Beers

When things in your life seems almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 Beers .

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly 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 an unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two Beers 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---and 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 and 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 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 things that are important to you.

'Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf ball first---the things that really matter. Set your
priorities. The rest is just sand.'

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11 comments:

Mara said...

Hear, hear! Ya gotta keep perspective on what's really important in life.

Jamie said...

Love this.

Children of the 90s said...

I love this! Every once in a while you get one of those chain letters that is actually meaningful. What a great message!

Anonymous said...

I love this! My pastor used it as a sermon illustration once and it really stuck with me. In fact, just the other day I was wondering why the heck I had a big glass jar on my dresser and realized that I had intended to make my own rock jar {except not with golf balls, because hello, I'm not a golfer :)}...maybe I should get on that.

Sierra said...

Aww, how great and how true! I'll try harder not to pay attention to the sand and pay attention to loving people and cherishing life daily! Thanks love for the positive reminder.

Teach.Workout.Love said...

ur welcome... i thought this was so great.. i am really glad i was able to find it again!

Unknown said...

This is amazing! I almost cried. Great lesson!

melissa said...

That really is a great chain letter. So many of them aren't worth reading time these days... it's nice to find the ones that actually are!

The Caped Tirader said...

I have to agree with the others. this is a practical story with an important message...most "chains" aren't worth the read, but this one definitely is

Anonymous said...

I love that. I saw that in a blog a while ago and I remember the story but never really payed attention before. So true huh?
:D
Thanks for another reminder

Valerie said...

I'm catching up on google reader! I love this. i've heard it many times and still love it!

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