ROCKS, PEBBLES AND SAND

A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items in front of him. When class began, he wordlessly picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks about two inches in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles, poured them into the jar and lightly shook it. 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 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. The 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. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal.”
Wise words. In your own life, be sure to take care of the rocks first—the things that really matter. Remember, the rest is only pebbles and sand.
                                                                         Anonymous

A few semesters ago, I took a speech class and our first assignment was to find something relatively short to read in front of the class. Being the procrastinator I am, I waited till the last minute to find something to read. I quickly went on the Internet and searched for short, inspirational stories. After reading a few, I didn't really see anything that caught my eye. Then, I came across this story shown above. I fell in love; I mean what a great message! I took it to read to my speech class and everyone loved it. I think it really hits home with a lot of people because it explains things in a way that's easy to see how it relates to your own life, no matter who you are or where your from. Sometimes you need a little reminder about the important things in life as they are overshadowed by the small stuff; things that don't matter in the long run. If you live your life according to the "jar method," then I think you'll be a much happier person. I'll end this post with one of my favorite quotes, "Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its trouble; it empties today of it's strength." So quit sweatin' the small stuff and live your life to the fullest with the ones you care about most.