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The Empty Jar
& Two Cups Of Tea
When
things in your lives seem almost too much to
handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the empty jar
and the 2 cups of tea.
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in
front of him. When the class began, he quietly picked up a
very large and empty 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 cups of tea 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.
Play with your children. 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 balls
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 tea
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 cups of tea with a friend."
Contributed
by
Eranga
Jayalatharachchi
Defining
Moments
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Copyright
© 2006, Jace Carlton. All International Rights Reserved.
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