>A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in > front > >of him. When class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty > mayonnaise > >jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks right to the top, rocks about 2" > > >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 in to > the > >jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the > open > >areas between the rocks. The students laughed. > > > > He asked his students again if the jar was full? They agreed that yes, > it > >was. > >The professor then 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 - anything that is so important to you that if it > > >were lost, you would be nearly destroyed. The pebbles are the other > things > >in life that matter, but on a smaller scale. The pebbles represent > things > >like your job, your house, your car. > > > >Te sand is everything else. The small stuff. If you put the sand or the > >pebbles into the jar first, there is no room for the rocks. The same > goes > >for your life. If you spend all your energy and time on the small stuff, > > >material things, you will never have room for the things that are truly > >most important. > > > >Pay attention to the things that are critical in your life. Play with > your > >children. Take your partner out dancing. Tere 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 pebbles and sand. > >